League One champions Birmingham City had an impressive transfer window last summer and appear to be on a similar course following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
It might be difficult to top last season’s window, which saw the likes of Jay Stansfield, Christoph Klarer, and Willum Willumsson among several other stars arrive.
The Blues have already brought in defender Phil Neumann on a free transfer from Hannover in Germany and have made Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s loan move permanent.
However, they are targeting an ambitious move for their next signing if reports are to be believed.
League One Greats – Birmingham City Storm to Title
Any supporter who watched the Blues sweep clear in their pursuit of the third-tier title will likely have been pondering if they were watching a side ready to compete in the Championship.
Their 111-point haul is unlikely to ever be repeated and was a result of an incredible recruitment drive last summer.
It was a risky strategy to spend millions of pounds after relegation from the Championship but Birmingham City have assembled a top-class team.
They had the best two defenders in the league, with Klarer linking up with Rangers loanee Ben Davies.
The duo ranked in the top two for average passes per game and were a reliable building block at the back for the champions.
Tomoki Iwata and Paik Seung-Ho were excellent in midfield and although it took time for Marc Leonard to get going, the Scottish player became a key component of the side towards the end of the campaign.
Stansfield and EFL icon Alfie May combined for 35 league goals, adding 11 assists between them, as the forwards proved to be inspired signings.
Despite a wealth of talent all over the pitch, it appears Chris Davies and the recruitment team have identified further areas of improvement with a move for a Liga Portugal star.
Blues Target Deal For Versatile Liga Portugal Midfielder
Gil Vicente finished in 13th place in the 18-team Portugese top-flight this season, avoiding the relegation places by a comfortable margin by the end of the campaign.
Much of their success can be attributed to the form of attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto. The Japanese player recorded 11 goal contributions, accounting for over 32% of the team’s total across the 34-match season.
The 25-year-old made 30 appearances and his heroics follow ten goal contributions in the Portuguese top-flight in 2023/24.
According to Sebastião Sousa-Pinto of Sport TV Portugal and further reported by Birmingham World, the Blues are in negotiations with the player over a free transfer, with his contract set to expire this summer.
Fujimoto has played 156 top-flight matches in Portugal and scored a hat-trick in August, helping Gil Vicente to a 4-2 win over Avs FC.
He also provided an assist in a stunning 3-1 over FC Porto in January. A key attribute of the player is his versatility.
The former Tokyo Verdy midfielder is most comfortable and has produced his best performances in a ten role, but he has played further forward and can operate on the right.
Fujimoto did drop back into the centre of midfield on occasion, and he appears to suit the formation deployed by Chris Davies at Birmingham City.
The manager has operated with a number ten and signing the Gil Vicente star would provide depth in several different positions should a deal go through.