Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner made his ambitions clear over the summer, outlining a plan for successive promotions.
However, a run of seven matches without a victory placed manager Chris Davies under mounting pressure.
That scrutiny eased slightly after the Blues secured a crucial 3-2 home win over league leaders Coventry City in their most recent fixture. Even so, Birmingham remain 14th in the table, sitting seven points adrift of the play-off positions.
With their promotion push needing fresh momentum, Birmingham have already added to their squad this month, bringing in defender Kai Wagner from Philadelphia Union. Further reinforcements are expected at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park before the window closes.
Although a move for Mjällby winger Abdoulie Manneh has fallen through, as revealed by Football League World, Birmingham continue to explore other options. According to the Daily Mail, they are now set to rival Coventry City in the race to sign Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka.
Onyeka joined Brentford from Midtjylland in 2021 but has slipped down the pecking order in recent seasons. After spending last term on loan at Augsburg, the Nigeria international has made just nine appearances in all competitions this campaign.
Speaking to FLW, Birmingham fan pundit Jason Moore urged the club to beat Coventry to Onyeka’s signature, believing the midfielder could address a key weakness in the squad.
“We need someone, and if you’re going to get someone of that calibre, then bring him in,” Moore said.
“He’d be more than capable of playing in the Championship. A loan deal makes sense because there’s no long-term risk.
We need two central midfielders. If you bring him in alongside Jhon Solis, that would make sense.
We’re well-stocked now, but if Marc Leonard leaves, we’ll be very short. We’re missing an athletic midfielder — someone who can carry the ball and power through the middle.”
Despite being out of favour at Brentford — where players such as Mathias Jensen, Yehor Yarmoliuk and Vitaly Janelt are preferred — Onyeka, who reportedly earns around £40,000 per week, remains a proven performer.
His last Premier League appearance came in October, but he started four matches for Nigeria during their run to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
With Marc Leonard expected to depart amid interest from Sheffield United and Norwich City, Birmingham may soon need midfield reinforcements. Securing Onyeka, alongside a potential move for Girona’s Jhon Solis, would give Davies added depth and balance as the Blues look to revive their promotion challenge.
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