Paik Seung-ho exit: Birmingham City's best and worst case transfer scenarios in January | OneFootball

The ideal and less than ideal scenarios that could unfold at Birmingham City in the January transfer window

Birmingham City have made a great start to their bid for League One promotion this season.

The Blues are aiming to earn their place back in the Championship at the first attempt, having been relegated in the prior campaign.

Chris Davies was appointed as manager in the summer with the task of overseeing a top two finish, taking on his first role as the main man at a club.

The Midlands outfit had a busy summer transfer window as they looked to build a team capable of a top two finish.

They will now also be planning for the upcoming January window in order to strengthen their position inside the automatic promotion places.

Here we look at the best and worst scenarios that could face Birmingham in the winter market…

Birmingham received a lot of attention and criticism for their lavish spending in the summer, in particular with the fee spent on Jay Stansfield.

According to Sky Sports, the forward cost the Blues more than £15 million, shattering the record for a League One transfer.

However, say what you will about the move, it is clear that it was a great sign of the owners' ambition for the club.

The January window represents another opportunity to splash the cash amid their pursuit of promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt.

In an ideal scenario, Birmingham will have the funds to make at least one more mega signing in order to boost Davies' side given the stiff competition they face for a top two place in the table this year.

Lukas Jutkiewicz has continued to fall down the pecking order at Birmingham as he winds down into the final years of his career.

The 35-year-old is out of contract in 2025, so a decision will need to be made over his future sooner rather than later.

If a decision can be made by January, then that gives clarity to Birmingham going into the winter market.

The Poland international is unlikely to be sold at this point in his career, but a concrete answer on what next for him could allow Birmingham a head start in looking to replace him.

Given his lack of game time, another extension by the Blues seems unlikely at this stage.

Worst case: Paik Seung-ho exit

It was reported late in the summer transfer window by Mike McGrath that Paik Seung-ho was offered a route back to the Championship with interest from Leeds United and Sheffield United.

However, Birmingham held firm and opted to keep the player, who has proven his importance to the club with his impressive performances so far this season.

A new contract signed earlier this month indicates that there should be very few concerns over his immediate future.

However, with Leeds and Sheffield United both in the promotion mix in the Championship, both clubs reigniting their interest in the 27-year-old could spell trouble.

It's hard to think of too many worse scenarios than one of the Premier League hopefuls turning the midfielder's head and prising him away in January - even if the new deal means the price tag would be sizable.