Birmingham City have the two most in-demand goalkeepers in English football, in Ben Foster and Jack Butland.
Lee Clark was appointed as the new Birmingham City manager earlier this week, and he will be firmly targeting a push for promotion.
Birmingham endured a tough challenge last season, with question marks hanging over nearly every member of their playing staff last summer because of the shock relegation which preceded it.
They also had the distraction of Europa League football, which only added to the 46 game marathon league season, plus domestic cups, and they ended up in the play-offs.
Chris Hughton did a great job of steadying the ship, and reaching the play-offs in itself was an achievement, before their narrow loss to Blackpool. Hughton earned himself a move to Premier League side Norwich City.
So this summer the reset button has been pressed, but City are in a far better place than last season. Clark is a highly rated young manager, with a desire to prove Huddersfield wrong for sacking him, and he will come face to face with his old club twice next season after their League One play-off victory.
The best piece of news for Birmingham, is that they could receive more than £10 million for two goalkeepers who did not play a single match for them last season.
Ben Foster, 29, was loaned to West Bromwich Albion for the season, where his steady performances under Roy Hodgson earned him praise, and he is the target for a number of clubs this summer. Boaz Myhill went the other way, and Birmingham could angle to get him back as part of any deal.
Tottenham were linked with a bid before Redknapp’s sacking, and they may go back in with an offer – Brad Friedel is 41 and the club need to look at replacing him eventually. West Brom too have been strongly linked with making a permanent offer, and both clubs have been haggling over the price.
Birmingham are believed to want in the region of £5 million for the goalkeeper who would have been at Euro 2012 had he not retired from international football.
One goalkeeper who took advantage of that, was young Birmingham stopper Jack Butland, who became the surprise third goalkeeper pick for England after John Ruddy picked up an injury.
Butland is yet to play a competitive game for Birmingham, and is only 19. He was loaned out to League Two side Cheltenham Town last season.
Reports today have revealed that top flight side Southampton have bid £6 million for Butland, and Birmingham have rejected it. If City receive an improved offer they would do well to reconsider.
Butland is a great young talent, but he has never been tested above League Two. In one sense, Birmingham would not lose a regular playing member of their team, and the money, like Foster, should be considered a bonus.
If City sell both Foster and Butland, they could secure more than £10 million, which could go a long way to shaping Lee Clark’s tilt at promotion. Birmingham would lose two talented ‘keepers, but neither played last season so they could argue that the loss would not affect last year’s playing squad.
Foster is almost certain to go, whether they cash in for Butland is another matter, but it is worth considering and using the funds to boost the club.
Should Birmingham sell both goalkeepers or hang onto one of them?
image: © wonker
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