Birmingham City: Where Jay Stansfield ranks in England's most valuable players list | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at how the Blues' frontman ranks against England's top stars.

Jay Stansfield has unsurprisingly been one of League One’s standout performers so far this season.

The striker raised eyebrows with his move to St Andrew’s in the summer. The fee was officially undisclosed, but with Sky Sports reporting it to be in excess of £15 million, it was a figure that set a new third tier transfer record, a record which will likely not be broken for several years.

Stansfield’s addition was one of 17 new signings for the Blues last summer, and they had already broken the League One transfer record twice that summer by the time Stansfield’s move went through.

Chris Davies’ side have gelled well so far this campaign and have already built a lead for themselves at the top of League One – with games in hand on the sides chasing them.

Jay Stansfield ranks 131st in England’s most valuable players list

It’s fair to say that Stansfield’s form over the last few seasons has been a revelation.

He first hit the headlines on loan at Exeter City, the club where his father Adam was a legend. He notched nine goals and seven assists in League One in 2022/23, earning him a step-up to the Championship with Birmingham the following year.

The 22-year-old made a massive impression during his spell on loan from Fulham in 2023/24. Stansfield ended that campaign with 12 goals in the Championship and finished the season as the Blues’ top scorer, performing admirably as they were ultimately relegated.

He became such a popular figure at St Andrew’s that Birmingham’s Knighthead owners were intent on breaking the bank to secure his services on a permanent basis from Fulham.

That transfer fee, combined with Stansfield's form during the last few seasons, means that his market value currently sits at €9 million, according to Transfermarkt.

That value sees him as the 131st most valuable English player at present.

He is also comfortably the most valuable player in League One and would even find himself inside the top 40 most valuable players in the Championship.

Birmingham will want Jay Stansfield to be their long-term option upfront

Birmingham will be delighted to see that Stansfield’s market value is so high as it protects them a little from losing him to top-level clubs for as long as possible.

This season, the frontman is in a battle with Wycombe’s Richard Kone to earn the third division’s Golden Boot award.

Given the amount of money they spent on him and the promise he has continued to show, Stansfield is surely being lined up to be Birmingham’s main striker for the foreseeable future.

The Blues clearly see him as a long-term project, who could be capable of leading the line for the club as they look to rise through the divisions and back to the top level. His move to the West Midlands on a permanent basis came with a bumper seven-year deal, the likes of which are hardly ever seen outside the Premier League.

Birmingham will already know that he is capable of providing a regular source of goals at Championship level and will be expecting him to replicate the form he showed during his 2023/24 loan spell if they get themselves back into the second tier for next term.

At just 22, Stansfield has a massive ceiling in the game and with Birmingham not short of cash by any means, they should be able to fend off the vast majority of offers that may come their way over the next few years.

The only way that may change, is if one of the country's top clubs were to come calling. However, despite Stansfield’s outstanding form over the last few years, that point remains a fair way in the distance.

For now though, all Birmingham will be focused on is ensuring they secure an instant return to the second tier for next season.

If they manage to see themselves over the line as expected, the sky really is the limit from there for the Blues and their ambitious, progressive owners.