Birmingham City: £20m Valuation Talk Surrounds Blues Pair as Jay Stansfield Compared to Che Adams
Birmingham City possess one of the Championship’s most eye-catching squads, following another major squad overhaul funded by owner Tom Wagner during the summer transfer window. Significant investment has flowed into St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, reinforcing the club’s ambition to rise back toward the top of English football.
Despite the scale of spending and expectation, the Blues’ campaign so far has been a mixed one. Performances at home have been largely impressive, but inconsistency on the road has caused frustration among supporters, with the team often looking like a shadow of itself away from the West Midlands.
As a result, attention remains firmly focused on events in B9. Knighthead Capital Management are eager to see their long-term vision — including the ambitious 62,000-seat Powerhouse Stadium as part of the forthcoming Sports Quarter development — reflected not only off the pitch, but also in results under head coach Chris Davies.
This season marks Davies’ first experience managing at Championship level. The 40-year-old was handed his first full-time managerial role by Birmingham in June 2024, after guiding the club to an extraordinary League One title the previous season. That campaign ended with promotion secured in emphatic fashion, as the Blues amassed a record-breaking 111 points — the highest total in EFL history.
Given the club’s financial muscle, anything short of domination was viewed by many as underachievement. While Birmingham have successfully recruited a host of high-profile and promising talents over the past 18 months, not every signing has delivered equally.
However, speaking to Football League World, Blues fan pundit Jason Moore believes two players have stood head and shoulders above the rest — and insists both should command fees of no less than £20 million.
Klarer and Stansfield Tipped for Massive Valuations
Moore’s first choice is Austrian centre-back Christoph Klarer, who has made an instant and lasting impression since arriving from SV Darmstadt in July 2024 for a reported fee of around €3 million.
A graduate of Southampton’s academy, Klarer quickly nailed down a starting role under Davies, impressing with his composure on the ball, physical presence, and defensive intelligence. His performances were central to Birmingham conceding just 31 goals across 46 league matches last season, forming a formidable defensive unit alongside Krystian Bielik and Ben Davies, before continuing that consistency next to Phil Neumann following his arrival from Hannover 96.
Klarer’s importance was further underlined when he was appointed club captain after Bielik’s move to West Bromwich Albion in August. Birmingham then moved swiftly to protect their asset, handing the 25-year-old a long-term contract extension running until the summer of 2029.
Unsurprisingly, Moore’s second standout performer is Birmingham’s talismanic forward Jay Stansfield. The 22-year-old has continued to draw attention following his high-profile move from Fulham in August 2024, when the Blues stunned many by paying a club-record eight-figure fee and tying him down to a seven-year deal.
Stansfield had already proven his value by scoring 12 goals during Birmingham’s relegation campaign in 2023/24. Now an England Under-21 international, his ability and potential continue to be defended fiercely by Blues supporters, despite occasional scepticism from outside the club.
“I was having this discussion recently,” Moore explained. “For me, Birmingham’s best player right now is either Jay Stansfield or Christoph Klarer. Both are £20m players in today’s market.
“Klarer is everything you want in a modern centre-back — strong, calm, and commanding. As for Stansfield, I genuinely think the world is at his feet.
“People can criticise him if they want, but he’s an England Under-21 striker and he’s scoring goals in the Championship. That matters.
“We sold Che Adams for around £15–16m, and in my opinion, he’s nowhere near the level Jay Stansfield can reach. Anything under £20m for either of them wouldn’t be enough.”
No Pressure to Cash In
The comparison with Che Adams will resonate with Blues fans, who remember the striker’s departure to Southampton in 2019. Adams joined Birmingham from Sheffield United for £2m and went on to score 38 goals and register 13 assists in 123 appearances before earning his move to the Premier League.
This time, however, the situation is very different. Birmingham are under no financial pressure to sell Stansfield, and there is a strong desire to build the team around him rather than cashing in early.
Similarly, Klarer’s long-term contract provides the club with significant leverage, and his value could continue to rise if his development trajectory remains on course.
With Knighthead’s backing and a clear long-term vision in place, Birmingham City appear well positioned to retain their prized assets — and potentially reap the rewards both on the pitch and in the transfer market in the years ahead.
