Birmingham City urged to make moves for "exceptional" Rangers and Burnley players | OneFootball

FLW's Blues fan pundit wants to see the club bring back some former favourites this summer

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Birmingham City have been told to try and sign some former players such as Jack Butland and Nathan Redmond this summer as they likely prepare for a return to the Championship following their impressive League One exploits.

Blues' unstoppable third-tier campaign has been well-documented, particularly over the last few months, as they edge ever closer to a title-winning season that has looked all too easy, at times, for Chris Davies and his players.

They currently sit top of League One with 83 points, 12 ahead of second-placed Wycombe Wanderers with a game in hand and just 10 matches of the campaign left. The club has made real strides off the pitch too this season, thanks to increased investment from owner and chairman Tom Wagner.

Blues fan pundit issues 'old boys' demand amid potential Championship return

Davies' side's promotion looks all but sealed at this stage, and their attention will soon turn to the summer transfer window, with numerous incomings and outgoings set to happen prior to the new season.

The club has ambitions to play in the Premier League within a few years, and so some high-profile, marquee signings can certainly not be ruled out if they are preparing for a return to the second-tier over the coming months.

Birmingham have numerous ex-players that are still plying their trade at a high level, and signing one of those could be the catalyst for an impressive Championship campaign in 2025/26.

FLW's Blues fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, would like to see a former St. Andrew's favourite return to the Second City this summer, and he name-checked Jack Butland, Nathan Redmond and Demarai Gray as potential incoming options after we asked him for one wish for his club in the upcoming transfer window.

"I think I’d love to see one of the Birmingham old-boys come back to the club, like a Jack Butland or a Nathan Redmond, a Demarai Gray," Mike told FLW.

"All three of them are still exceptional players, even though they are getting towards the end of their careers a little bit.

"I think Butland would be fantastic competition for Ryan Allsop. Demarai Gray or Nathan Redmond would add some real creativity, pace and width in a team that, to be honest, is struggling a bit when it comes to wide players.

"I think one of the old boys coming back would really add to what we’ve got, especially going into the Championship as well. They’d add some real quality and take us to the next level."

Blues should sign one of their ex-players this summer - Redmond could be the most realistic

Birmingham have certainly become an ambitious club under the guidance of Tom Wagner, and the ease at which they have impressed in the third-tier this season is a clear sign that they plan on being competitive at the top end of the Championship next term, as long as they do seal promotion soon.

It is certainly within the realm of possibility that they make an attempt to sign any of Butland, Gray or Redmond this summer ahead of a potential second-tier return, but it is the latter that feels like the most realistic player to make a move for as it stands.

Butland is no doubt a top keeper, but is arguably just too good for Blues to coax back into playing second-tier football in England right now. He is the starting goalkeeper for Scottish giants Rangers in both the league and European competitions, and he won their Players and Supporters' Player of the Year awards and was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for his impressive performances last season.

Gray, meanwhile, is not quite as far along in his career as the other two named, at 28-years-old, and he currently plays in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Ettifaq. A product of the Blues' academy, he was reported to want out of his current club back in December, but was touted for a Premier League move, with Fulham believed to be keen.

His possible return to St. Andrew's can definitely not be ruled out in the years to come, but much like Butland, it feels a step too far for the club to target him in the upcoming transfer window.

That leaves Redmond, who has been with Burnley in the Championship this season and is likely to leave the Clarets at the end of this season, particularly if they seal their own promotion to the top-flight, with his contract set to expire in June.

The 31-year-old has struggled to feature at Turf Moor in recent months due to injury issues and other players' good form, and Blues were reported to be lining up a move for him by Football Insider prior to the January window, yet a move never materialised due to those pre-existing injury struggles.

He needs to get his career back on track this summer after a tough time in East Lancashire, and a dream return to B9 will surely appeal to both him and the club as they look to bring in depth out wide. Whether he is willing to take a likely pay-cut remains to be seen, but Birmingham could definitely do a lot worse than bring him back ahead of next season after 12 years away.