Birmingham City won't fondly look back on their 2023/24 campaign any time soon, with the crushing blow of relegation still raw to those at St. Andrew's.
The best way to get over such a blow would be to immediately bounce straight back to the Championship, not wanting to prolong their stay in League One for too long, before re-entering the second tier revitalised and ready to compete at that level again.
With Chris Davies now at the helm, a bright future could be on the horizon, with the former Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager no doubt assessing his squad ahead of the challenging third-tier season that awaits him.
So, who could star under the new manager? Well, he should be safe knowing that this Blues face could be a top performer when dropping down a division.
Lee Buchanan's transfer to Birmingham
Signed before a ball was kicked last season, Lee Buchanan could have been one of a number of players shown the exit door this summer, considering his side's disastrous showing in the Championship.
Yet, Buchanan – who was purchased for a sizeable £1.3m reportedly – will remain in Davies' starting XI for the drop-down, as the 23-year-old showed flashes of the quality that saw him win a bumper move to Werder Bremen in 2022, after initially coming through the Derby County youth ranks.
The ex-Rams defender would go on to make 32 league appearances in total, keeping a respectable nine clean sheets whenever he was fielded.
One performance, in particular, against Preston North End – where the Blues won 1-0 to keep their hopes of staying up alive at the start of April – will have caught Davies' eye when pondering his team for League One, with Buchanan showing that he can complete his defensive basics well with six clearances amassed and six duels won.
Stat
Buchanan
Minutes played
90
Touches
100
Key passes
1
Clearances
6
Tackles
2
Duels won
6/7
Interceptions
2
Shots on goal
1
Stats by Sofascore
But, as can be seen when glancing at the table above, he was equally lively in trying to make things click going forward, accumulating a ridiculous 100 touches, with one shot at goal even clipping the crossbar.
As a result, the new Blues boss will be excited to see what he can do at League One level, considering Buchanan netted in the Bundesliga during the 2022/23 season for ex-club Bremen, showcasing his obvious pedigree.
The 23-year-old is even worth more than Krystian Bielik in the current Birmingham camp, according to Football Transfers, which could mean if this move doesn't work out down the line, they could cash in for some serious profit.
Buchanan's transfer value in 2024
According to the site, Buchanan's transfer value has already soared all the way up to £3.2m, with the left-back's reputation in the game not yet taking a bruising.
Bielik, who was once a record capture for his ex-employers in Derby at £10m, has found his value has shrunk all the way down to a lesser £2.8m, in contrast, as Davies now weighs up what importance his new 26-year-old player will have in his somewhat new-look team next season.
The Polish defensive midfielder, who can also be beneficial to his side as a centre-back, will also be one that could be pushed nearer to the exit door soon owing to his high wage demands, which comes in at a hefty £20k-per-week for the low level.
With Jordan James the only other player in the Birmingham ranks at the moment boasting a higher worth than Buchanan, as the 19-year-old has a £6.3m price-tag slapped above his head, the 5 foot 9 full-back will have a major role to play in the West Midlands side striving to win promotion.
It will be intriguing to see Davies in the main managerial hot seat as a relative unknown entity in this position, hoping players such as Buchanan can perform, so he doesn't up being another casualty in the dug-out at St. Andrew's if it all goes pear-shaped.
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