"Point to prove" - Pundit tips Sheffield Wednesday to capitalise on Birmingham City January call | OneFootball

Pundit Carlton Palmer believes out of favour Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson could be a good fit for Sheffield Wednesday

Birmingham City could reportedly loan out Dion Sanderson during the upcoming January transfer window and EFL pundit Carlton Palmer has tipped Sheffield Wednesday as a club that might look to capitalise.

Nixon revealed on Patreon that Birmingham may let the 24-year-old leave on loan, which is news that will not surprise Blues supporters, given his lack of game time.

Amid strong competition from the likes of summer signing Christoph Klarer, and former Arsenal man Krystian Bielik, Sanderson has made just two appearances in League One this term.

Furthermore, one of his two appearances was a two-minute cameo during Blues' most recent game, in which they were held to a 1-1 draw on home turf by Northampton Town, with Mitch Pinnock scoring a 96th-minute equaliser for the visitors.

Despite their recent draw with the Cobblers, Chris Davies' men still sit second in the League One table and are just two points behind league leaders Wycombe Wanderers with a game in hand.

However, Sanderson, who made 37 appearances for Blues in the Championship last season, is not playing a major role in his side's bid to make an immediate second tier return.

Carlton Palmer makes Sanderson, Sheffield Wednesday prediction

Palmer, who formerly played for Sheffield Wednesday, exclusively told Football League World that moving Sanderson on in January makes sense and tipped Wednesday as a potential landing spot.

"News coming out of Birmingham City is that they are ready to consider loaning out Dion Sanderson in January, or they may be up for selling him.

"They're going to have a look at it in January.

"He's under contract until 2027, so they have got a bit of a problem with him.

"He's not playing, he's made only five appearances in all competitions, only two have come in the league.

"Birmingham City are sat in second place in the table, but they've got a game in hand, and so they'll be looking to get back to winning ways.

"I think it would suit both parties, Sanderson looking for pastures new, because he's struggling to get in the team ahead of Christoph Klarer, Ben Davies and Krystian Bielik.

"So he's not going to play, as I say, the problem that they've got is that he's under contract until 2027, so selling Sanderson would free up space for Birmingham City to bring in new arrivals.

"It will be interesting to see which clubs come in for him, but I think there will be some suitors, I think that people will be fancying him in League One.

"He's capable of playing at Championship level, he is capable of doing that, so he's going to be coveted by some football clubs.

"But it makes sense for both parties to go their separate ways.

"One of the clubs that may be interested in him is Sheffield Wednesday.

"They're in need of a centre-back, and they've changed to playing a back-three, so he could be an ideal fit for somebody like Sheffield Wednesday, and he would have a point to prove, with Birmingham City relegated, and he's going to a club in the Championship.

"It may give them that option."

Sanderson could be a solid January acquisition for a Championship club

The fact that Sanderson is currently struggling for game time with Blues in League One is not a reflection of his abilities, but more a consequence of the club's big spending during the summer transfer window, amid the strong desire of ownership group Knighthead Capital Management to get them back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

It is not usual for a third-tier defender to face the sort of competition for places Sanderson has to contend with, as fellow centre-half Klarer was plying his trade in the German top-flight for Darmstadt last season, before joining Blues for a handsome transfer fee of around £3.5m, as per Sky Sports.

Now that Blues seem willing to let the 24-year-old go in January, at least on loan, Championship clubs should be eyeing up his signature as he has plied his trade at second tier level for Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City, while he is an academy product of Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Furthermore, after signing a four-year-deal back in 2023, the centre-back is under contract with his current club until 2027, so they could be willing to sell him due to the fact he has fallen down the pecking order following manager Davies' arrival.

As alluded to by Palmer, an inconsistent Wednesday side could be particularly keen on Sanderson, but we will likely see other interested parties ahead of the January transfer window.