Alious
As the January transfer window approaches, Birmingham City supporters are watching closely to see how the club will continue reinforcing their promotion push. Since taking ownership, Tom Wagner — along with Craig Gardner — has consistently supported manager Chris Davies with heavy investment, as shown by last summer’s remarkable recruitment spree. Birmingham’s ambition remains crystal clear: to finally return to the Premier League.
The squad already features a strong core of players like Furuhashi, Ducksch, Gray, Osayi-Samuel, Neumann and Cochrane, with the team having collected an impressive 111 points last season. However, despite overall squad strength, there remains a significant concern: depth at the left-back position.
Alex Cochrane has been almost flawless since signing from Hearts and has been one of Birmingham’s most reliable performers. Not only has he been defensively solid, he has also contributed offensively — scoring twice — and has consistently won wide-area duels. But behind him, cover options are uncertain. Jack Robinson can fill in, but is more suited at centre-back and has already picked up two red cards, while Ethan Laird and Lee Buchanan remain unavailable with long-term injuries.
Buchanan’s time at the club has been defined by setbacks — so much so that he wasn’t even registered in the active 25-man squad. With his recovery ongoing and uncertain, many fans believe Birmingham must seek reinforcements at left-back in January, especially as the promotion race intensifies.
Enter Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin.
Jason Moore — a fan pundit for Birmingham City — has openly argued that Cirkin should be aggressively pursued. Birmingham already have a positive relationship with Sunderland following successful dealings involving Patrick Roberts. Cirkin himself was instrumental in Sunderland’s promotion triumph and displayed strong consistency last season. However, injuries and competition at Sunderland have pushed him down the hierarchy, especially after the arrivals of Masuaku and Reinildo.
Cirkin reportedly earns around £20,000 per week, and with his contract set to expire in June, Birmingham may be able to strike a favourable deal. Moore insists Cirkin could provide essential relief and rotation for Cochrane, who cannot realistically play every single match at full intensity.
He also notes that while Buchanan is talented, the long injury layoffs mean he may struggle to adapt and regain full match readiness — and Davies’ system demands both stamina and time to reintegrate properly. Meanwhile, Laird’s injury-prone history makes him unreliable as a long-term backup option.
For Moore, the solution is clear: if Cirkin is available, Birmingham should seize the opportunity.
Even if Cirkin initially arrives as Cochrane’s backup, he could compete for a starting role and help maintain standards during the crucial January-February stretch when fatigue begins to accumulate.
While other left-back targets may emerge before the window opens, Cirkin appears to be an ideal candidate — given his Championship familiarity, defensive reliability, and contract situation — making him one of the strongest options for Birmingham’s winter reinforcement plans.
Alious
