Birmingham City may have uncovered a hidden gem now valued higher than Kyogo Furuhashi
Birmingham City may have unearthed a major success story in their squad — a player whose value has now surpassed that of teammate Kyogo Furuhashi.
While the Blues had hoped to mount a serious promotion push this season, their chances of reaching the Championship play-offs have suffered a major setback after two disappointing defeats. Manager Chris Davies watched his side fall to a heavy 3-0 loss against Millwall before suffering another setback in a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough.
Those back-to-back losses have left Birmingham eight points adrift of the final play-off spot in the EFL Championship with just 11 matches remaining in the campaign. To break into the top six now would require an exceptional run of results combined with slip-ups from the teams above them.
Given the circumstances, figures behind the scenes at the club may already be beginning to look ahead to the 2026/27 season and consider how the squad can be strengthened.
Lessons from Birmingham’s first Championship season back
After winning promotion from EFL League One last season, Birmingham returned to the Championship with ambitious plans. The club’s hierarchy invested heavily in the squad during the summer transfer window in an effort to close the gap between the third and second tiers.
According to Transfermarkt, Birmingham ranked as the fifth-highest spenders in the Championship in terms of transfer fees.
However, the spending spree has not delivered the expected results.
Simply investing significant sums does not guarantee success in the Championship. Recruitment must also focus on players whose current form, profile, and development trajectory align with the club’s ambitions.
Unfortunately for Birmingham, several of their signings arrived after difficult periods at their previous clubs.
Midfielder Tommy Doyle is one example. After limited opportunities during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he started only 14 league matches across two seasons, his impact at Birmingham has been fairly modest.
Former Premier League winger Demarai Gray has also struggled to rediscover top form. He managed just one goal in 29 appearances during the 2024/25 season with Al Ettifaq and has scored only five times in 29 matches since joining the Blues.
Goalkeeper James Beadle provides another example. While playing for Sheffield Wednesday last season he conceded nearly four more goals than expected according to advanced metrics, and his numbers at Birmingham — while on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion — have been similarly concerning.
Perhaps the most striking case has been the arrival of Kyogo Furuhashi. Birmingham agreed a deal worth up to £10 million to sign the Japanese international from Stade Rennais after he failed to score in the second half of the previous season.
Since arriving in the Midlands, Kyogo has struggled to find form, scoring just once in the league despite accumulating an expected goals figure of 5.32. As a result, his market value has dropped to around £5.2 million.
Christoph Klarer emerges as Birmingham’s standout signing
In contrast to those disappointing acquisitions, Birmingham may have struck gold with central defender Christoph Klarer.
The Blues signed the towering defender from SV Darmstadt 98 in the summer of 2024 for a relatively modest fee of around £2.5 million ahead of their League One campaign.
Before moving to England, Klarer had gained valuable top-flight experience in the Bundesliga, where he made 30 appearances for Darmstadt. During that season he demonstrated impressive physical qualities, winning 55% of his ground duels and 52% of his aerial battles.
By signing a player who was already performing at a high level in one of Europe’s major leagues, Birmingham secured a defender who was entering the prime stage of his career rather than attempting to revive one.
The results were immediate.
Klarer started every single one of his 43 matches during Birmingham’s League One title-winning campaign, playing a vital role in their promotion back to the Championship.
This season he has continued to be a cornerstone of the team, starting all 32 league matches and even wearing the captain’s armband at times.
His dominance in defensive battles has been particularly impressive. Klarer has won approximately 65% of his duels and an outstanding 70% of his aerial contests, making him one of the most physically commanding defenders in the entire Championship.
Among the league’s duel leaders this season, Klarer ranks near the top, alongside players such as Lloyd Jones, Jake Cooper, Kieffer Moore, and Jimmy Dunne.
Klarer’s rising value highlights Birmingham’s transfer lesson
Klarer’s impressive performances over the last 18 months have significantly boosted his market value.
According to Transfermarkt, the defender is now valued at roughly £6 million — more than double what Birmingham initially paid and notably higher than Kyogo Furuhashi’s current valuation.
This stark contrast between the two players offers an important lesson for Birmingham’s recruitment strategy moving forward.
Rather than investing large sums in players whose careers may already be on a downward trajectory, the club would likely benefit from targeting footballers who are improving, performing consistently, and approaching their peak years.
If Birmingham adopt that strategy in the upcoming summer transfer window, they may be able to uncover more success stories like Christoph Klarer — a signing who has proven to be one of the club’s smartest investments in recent seasons.
