"2-3 million" - Birmingham City, Dion Sanderson valuation made amid Rangers transfer talk | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City are facing up to a crucial summer - regardless of what division they play their football in next season.

Blues welcome Norwich City to St. Andrews @ Knighthead Park on the final day of the Championship campaign, knowing three points is a must if they are to maintain their second tier status, and hope results fall in their favour around them.

Should they drop to the third tier for the first time since the 1991/92 season, a busy summer of incomings and outcomings will shortly follow, with several of their star players already linked with moves away from the West Midlands in the upcoming transfer window.

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Dion Sanderson transfer latest

Having started his career across the West Midlands with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Dion Sanderson permanently moved to Blues last summer after previously impressing in his two loan spells with the club.

During his time at St. Andrew's, the 24-year-old has made nearly 100 appearances and was appointed as the club's captain for the 2023/24 campaign, having worn the armband in an FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers, assuming those responsibilities in Birmingham's pre-season fixtures.

However, Sanderson's first season as skipper fell below expectations, with the defender stripped of the captaincy before the conclusion of the campaign having been charged for drink-driving last month, and underperforming for much of the season.

Should Birmingham drop to League One, it seems inevitable that a number of their players will be made available for a transfer as the club deal with the financial repercussions of relegation, with Sanderson a player already linked with a move away from the West Midlands.

According to a report from The Daily Record, Scottish Premiership side, Rangers, are interested in bringing the defender to Ibrox in the summer, and Blues could be forced into selling him.

When he arrived last year, the reported fee was in the region of £2 million, something the club will be hopeful of recuperating should they part ways with the defender.

Birmingham fan pundit gives Dion Sanderson valuation

Despite only arriving at St. Andrews at the beginning of the season, it remains a real possibility that Sanderson could leave the club, should Blues suffer relegation.

When questioning Football League World's Birmingham fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, he explained that it would be difficult for the 24-year-old to turn down the opportunity of playing for the 55-time Scottish league champions, but insists the departure of Sanderson still depends on what division Blues find themselves in next season.

"I think I could definitely see him being tempted by that move," Gibbs started.

"For a number of reasons, one, he has not had the best of seasons for Birmingham. We have not had a great season, but he has not been a good performer in a bad team. He's probably been one of the worst performers.

"He's got off-field issues as well. He just had a driving ban, stripped of the captaincy and I think the big thing there is what division we are in.

"If we're relegated to League One, any player will want to play at the highest possible level, so to move from a League One club to a Scottish Premiership club, I think most people would take that."

Should the defender leave the club, Blues can expect a decent transfer fee in return, having signed Sanderson on a four-year contract last summer for a reported fee of £2 million.

And Gibbs expects a similar figure to be paid for this services of the former Blues captain but believes his value in the years to come will increase should he rediscover his top form.

"What he is worth is again very dependent on our situation. If we are a Championship club, we wouldn't need to sell, I don't believe, but for a League One club, we would maybe need to sell, even with the increased revenue that our owners have been able to bring in.

"We bought him for around £2 million, and I'd like to think we would be able to recoup that at the very least.

"I think there is a real player in there, personally. He has the ability to play at a higher level because on his day and when he's in form, he's an excellent centre-back and is still pretty young.

"I could easily see him having a good couple of seasons somewhere and being close to the £10 million mark, but you have to go off what you are seeing now and current form, and I think our league position, if we are a League One club and not having a great year, £2-£3 million, maybe."