A closer look at the Championship squad rules and how Birmingham City will be affected this summer
13:12, 23 Jun 2025Updated 13:13, 23 Jun 2025
Ayumu Yokoyama of Birmingham City
Birmingham City are set for a significant summer sale in order to ensure Chris Davies isn’t left with any spare parts after the transfer window closes.
Championship clubs are allowed to keep 25-man squads that must include at least eight homegrown players.
Whilst Blues won’t have any issues adhering to the quota of homegrown players, with no fewer than 12 members of last season’s squad developed in England – including Poland international Krystian Bielik and Austrian defender Christoph Klarer – they do have far too many players at present.
Blues have maxed out their 25-man squad before making a signing in this particular window following Phil Neumann’s arrival on a free transfer from Hannover 96.
Neumann takes Blues to 25 if you include all of their returning loanees that are over the age of 21.
Ayumu Yokoyama’s future is up in the air after his loan spell with Jong Genk but should the Japanese winger stick around, he would now take up a squad place having turned 22 in March. Yokoyama didn’t need to be registered last season after joining from J-League side Sagan Tosu.
Four more returning players – Dion Sanderson, Manny Longelo, Alfie Chang and Tyler Roberts – are over the age of 21. Sanderson, Longelo and Roberts are expected to be moved on once again, but Blues could yet take a different stance with academy graduate Chang after he made his comeback from a serious knee injury on loan at Walsall.
George Hall and Brandon Khela have returned to Blues following loans in League Two but remain under the age threshold and don’t need to be registered.
Blues didn’t have to name Fulham loanee Luke Harris in their squad last season because he was under 21 but loan players have to be included in Championship squads.
James Beadle is expected to join Blues on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and will therefore need to be named in the 25-man squad.
With more signings to come, Blues have plenty of work to do to ensure there aren’t a bunch of players left to rot on the fringes.
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Players from last season who will have to be registered:
Ryan Allsop*
Bailey Peacock-Farrell*
Ethan Laird*
Alfons Sampsted
Christoph Klarer*
Krystian Bielik*
Alex Cochrane*
Lee Buchanan*
Tomoki Iwata
Paik Seung-ho
Taylor Gardner-Hickman*
Marc Leonard*
Willum Willumsson
Emil Hansson
Keshi Anderson*
Scott Wright
Lyndon Dykes
Jay Stansfield*
Alfie May*
New signings who need to be registered:
Phil Neumann
Returning loanees over the age of 21 who would take up a squad spot:
Dion Sanderson*
Alfie Chang*
Manny Longelo*
Tyler Roberts*
Ayumu Yokoyama
Which players should Blues sell? Have your say HERE