Birmingham City are approaching the January transfer window with an opportunity to strengthen their squad, and one area in particular needs attention. The club, who currently compete in the Championship, should prioritise recruiting a new left-back when the window opens next month.
Chris Davies’ team has lacked consistency in recent weeks, and their performances have highlighted the need for greater depth in defensive positions—especially on the left side. Bringing in competition for the role could provide stability and improvement as the season progresses.
Birmingham secured promotion from League One last season, winning the title convincingly and joining Wrexham and Charlton Athletic in moving up to the Championship. However, the jump to a higher division has proven demanding. After 22 league fixtures, the Blues sit 14th in the table, six points adrift of the play-off places.
Their most recent outing ended in a disappointing 3–0 defeat away at Sheffield United, a result made worse by former Blade Tommy Doyle receiving a red card. Meanwhile, current first-choice left-back Alex Cochrane was unavailable for the match due to injury and will require assessment before the Boxing Day fixture against Derby County.
Given these circumstances, manager Chris Davies needs to reinforce his defensive options in January. One potential solution is Harry Amass, currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester United. Amass, just 18 years old, has quickly become an important figure for the Owls despite their struggles near the bottom of the Championship table. United allowed him to leave temporarily to gain valuable first-team experience, and he has delivered with maturity and consistency.
Since arriving at Hillsborough, Amass has made 18 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and assisting once. His development has also drawn interest from other second-tier clubs including Millwall and Stoke City, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
The young defender joined Manchester United from Watford in 2023 after progressing through the Hornets’ academy and representing them at various youth levels. He has already made seven first-team appearances for the Red Devils, demonstrating the high ceiling many believe he has.
As Birmingham prepare to face Derby County and attempt to recover from recent setbacks, the pressure is mounting on Chris Davies to freshen up his squad and steer results back on course. Securing Amass on loan would provide competition for Cochrane, improve squad depth in a problem position, and likely benefit both player and club. If Birmingham make their move, Sheffield Wednesday may face a difficult battle to keep hold of the promising teenager for the remainder of the season.
Manchester United will undoubtedly take satisfaction from the progress Amass is making and will hope that the next stage of his development continues positively—wherever he finishes the season.
