Birmingham City are one of the most financially ambitious clubs in the Championship at the moment, and EFL Analysis can confirm they are close to a major signing.
Birmingham City are cementing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the second tier ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign.
After Chris Davies’ side secured a record-breaking League One title win, the Blues have been extremely busy in the summer transfer market as Tom Wagner plots Premier League promotion.
Birmingham signed Tommy Doyle on loan from Manchester City to join fellow loanee James Beadle from Brighton, and Birmingham have re-signed Demarai Gray.
To add to that stellar business, EFL Analysis can confirm that Birmingham are poised to secure a major transfer coup with personal terms agreed for a Celtic icon.
Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty ImagesBirmingham City agree personal terms with Rennes forward Kyogo Furuhashi
Birmingham are poised to pull off the Championship signing of the summer so far by landing Rennes ace Kyogo Furuhashi.
Birmingham showed interest in Furuhashi earlier in the window after his £10m move to Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in the January window.
Now, EFL Analysis understands via our Chief Football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that Birmingham have agreed personal terms with Celtic legend Furuhashi.
Furuhashi joined French top flight side Rennes in January, but has not settled across the English Channel.
After making just a handful of appearances, he is now set to move back to the UK.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s goalscoring record overall for Celtic, and since Rennes move in January
Sources have informed EFL Analysis that 30-year-old Furuhashi has agreed terms with Birmingham and the two clubs are now close to finalising terms on a £10million deal.
Birmingham wanted to bolster their attacking options aside from record signing Jay Stansfield and Furuhashi is emerging as their main target.
EFL Analysis understands that Celtic did have conversations about a possible return to Glasgow for their Japanese legend.
However, Birmingham have persuaded him that his next move should be to England’s second city and they hope to tie up the move over the weekend.
With Birmingham’s squad already brimming with talent ahead of the 2025/26 second tier season, the acquisition of Furuhashi to play alongside Stansfield would certainly propel them to a top-six finish next term.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty ImagesKyogo Furuhashi to Birmingham City would be Championship signing of summer
In the wake of promotion to the Championship, Blues owner Wagner admitted that Birmingham want an “aggressive” transfer window this summer, and the statement capture of Furuhashi would do just that.
A front two comprising the Celtic legend, alongside Birmingham’s most expensive signing Stansfield, would send shivers down the spines of all second tier defences ahead of next season.
The Japanese forward was outstanding during his four-year stay with the Scottish champions, as evidenced by his 101 direct goal involvements in just 167 appearances.
After Furuhashi’s £10m move to Rennes was completed in January, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports that: He’s been an incredible player for the club for the three and a half years he’s been here and he’s not someone that we wanted to lose,
“When I arrived here, Kyogo hadn’t scored a goal in the Champions League. If he leaves, he’s then shown that he can play at that level.”
Furuhashi left Celtic with three Champions League goals to his name, and now is poised for a move to St Andrews in a monumental coup for the Blues/
Birmingham were last in the top flight in 2017/18, and the signing of Furuhashi should push them to promotion, as we believe will be the outcome in our early 2025/26 Championship predictions.