Byers signs: Identifying 3 ideal Jordan James replacements for Birmingham City | OneFootball

Birmingham City's relegation has meant that there is an even greater likelihood that some of their highest-valued players will depart.

Jordan James can definitely count himself under said category, having been on the radar of numerous sides in the Premier League, Championship and across the continent.

This only intensified in January amid well-documented interest from Serie A outfit Atalanta - who saw bids rejected - as well as subsequent links to Leicester City and Crystal Palace between then, and when Blues' relegation was confirmed on May 4th.

Furthermore, the Italian side that qualified for the UEFA Champions League have been linked with interest once again, this time alongside West Ham United.

Therefore, it seems extremely unlikely that the 19-year-old Welsh international will be plying his trade at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park in League One amd FLW have come up with three replacements the club should target in the summer transfer window.

George Byers

The first of three players who could be an ideal replacement for James comes in the form of George Byers, who will leave Sheffield Wednesday in the coming weeks when his deal at Hillsborough officially concludes.

Despite featuring regularly in the first half of the season under Xisco Munoz and Danny Rohl, the former Swansea man was loaned out to Blackpool, where he put together a run of consistent performances in the third tier once again, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.98.

However, his performances for the Owls in the 22/23 promotion campaign prove that Byers is a high-end League One performer in a side that bears a lot of expectation compared to several of their divisional counterparts - a theme Birmingham will have to deal with next season.

In just 24 appearances and 19 starts under Darren Moore, Byers accumulated six goals, three assists, as well as other impressive metrics for a box-to-box midfielder such as 2.8 tackles per game.

If the 28-year-old could replicate such form with a greater appearance total in B9, then a free transfer for his services would be a no-brainer.

Alex Robertson

Exploring the loan market for a temporary resolution could also be an avenue Blues are likely to explore and Alex Robertson should definitely be a target in this particular category.

The Dundee-born Australian international may feel he still has unfinished business in the third tier, as he didn't feature in the second half of Portsmouth's title-winning season last term after sustaining a serious hamstring injury.

This could put potential suitors off the 21-year-old, but when you look past the initial surface, the Manchester City prospect was a key component to John Mousinho's midfield in the opening months of the campaign, registering one goal and four assists, as well as being deployed in an array of midfield positions - similar to James' own situation under a plethora of managers in the Second City.

Given the similarities between the two players and the situation many expect Birmingham to be in - emulating Pompey's success - it would be an ideal fit for both parties, but it could depend on whether any interest from Championship sides comes over the course of the window.

Davis Keillor-Dunn

Rounding off this list is Mansfield Town's prized asset, Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Understandably, there has been interest from Championship clubs to acquire the Stags' playmaker throughout the season, and it would seem likely that it could remain in the summer given his sublime form at Field Mill.

TEAMtalk reported last year that Millwall, QPR, Hull City and Plymouth Argyle were monitoring the 27-year-old's situation - albeit when all four clubs had different managers or head coaches in their respective dugouts.

In the same report, it claimed that League One sides such as Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley also held an interest, so Blues should definitely look to front this queue and make a move for the midfielder.

Last season, Keillor-Dunn recorded the second-highest average rating in League Two (7.44 - as per WhoScored), scoring 22 times, assisting 10, and creating a further 14 big chances, as he featured in every single fourth tier fixture.

The fact that Mansfield and Birmingham are in the same division means that Nigel Clough may not want to sell to a divisional rival. However, Blues must take advantage of the fact that the former Burton Albion man is out of contract next summer, and should perhaps look to sign him for a cheaper price than the East Midlands side would accept in any other circumstance.

Although eight years older than James, it's clear that Keillor-Dunn has the ability to aid Birmingham's ambitions in the short term at least.