Birmingham City: Chris Davies makes Paik Seung-ho transfer claim amid Leeds United and Sheffield United interest | OneFootball

Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho was the subject of significant Championship transfer interest during the summer window.

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies insists he was always confident the club would be able to keep hold of midfielder Paik Seung-ho amid speculation over his future during the summer transfer window.

It was a busy summer for Birmingham following their relegation from the Championship, with a number of incomings and outgoings at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park as Davies rebuilt his squad.

The ambitious Blues board heavily backed Davies in the transfer market this summer, spending a reported total of around £24 million during the course of the window, including paying a reported £15 million for Fulham striker Jay Stansfield, which smashed the League One transfer record.

Sales were always inevitable after relegation, and the likes of Jordan James, Juninho Bacuna, Alex Pritchard, Koji Miyoshi and Siriki Dembele were among those to depart, but Birmingham did manage to retain some of their stars, with Paik one example of a player who has surprisingly remained at the club in the third tier.

Keeping hold of Paik has proven to be a good bit of business as he has starred in the early weeks of the season, and he has helped the Blues to five consecutive league victories, which has seen them move up to second in the League One table.

Chris Davies issues Paik Seung-ho transfer claim

Paik joined Birmingham from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in January, and he was one of few players to emerge with any credit from their disappointing Championship season after impressing in the second half of the campaign.

The 27-year-old scored the winner for the Blues in their 1-0 win over Norwich City on the final day of last season, but it was not enough to prevent the club's relegation, and some supporters feared he would depart over the summer.

Sunderland were linked with a move for Paik, while Blackburn Rovers, who are managed by former Birmingham manager John Eustace, were also said to be keen, but he remained at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Journalist Mike McGrath revealed that the Blues had turned down bids for Paik on deadline day, while he also claimed that Championship promotion hopefuls Leeds United and Sheffield United were interested in the midfielder during the window.

It seems that Paik had a long list of suitors this summer, but Davies insists he was always optimistic the club would be able to keep hold of the South Korea international, and he tipped him to play a key role in the years to come.

"There would have definitely been interest in him but I was very consistent all along that he was going to be a key player this season and in future years. He’s an excellent player and an excellent character. In my mind there was no real threat of losing him. He has been excellent so far and needs to maintain those standards," Davies told BirminghamLive.

Retaining Paik Seung-ho was crucial for Birmingham City

It seemed inevitable that Paik would leave Birmingham this summer following relegation, but the board deserve huge credit for holding firm on the midfielder, and it is another clear indication of their ambition.

With interest from the likes of Leeds and Sheffield United, it would have been easy for the Blues to cash in on Paik, and he could also have pushed to leave, but the fact he was keen to stay is a big endorsement of the club's exciting project.

In truth, Paik is a player who is far too good for League One, and after impressing in the early weeks of the season alongside Marc Leonard, his performance levels have increased even further since the arrival of Tomoki Iwata from Celtic.