How Che Adams would fit into the Birmingham City XI - Jay Stansfield dropped? | OneFootball

How Che Adams would fit into the Birmingham City starting XI if he signed.

Birmingham City have no plans of waiting around for potential deals after securing promotion back to the Championship, and a reunion with Che Adams has started to gather momentum.

The Torino forward, whose time at St Andrew's between 2016 and 2019 earned him a Premier League move to Southampton for around £15 million, could now be primed for a comeback to the West Midlands, according to Football Insider.

But how would Adams fit into Birmingham's current XI? And what could that mean for their 2023-24 Player of the Year Jay Stansfield?

Is there room for both Che Adams and Jay Stansfield

Disregarding Adams for just a moment, Stansfield has faced healthy competition from 31-year-old Alfie May all season, and whether they're on the pitch together or not, the drive they give each other to succeed is evident to see.

An astonishing combined 40 goals and 12 assists shows Blues' hierarchy are in a privileged position to still be hungry for more attacking additions in the summer window, and after owner Tom Wagner's comments about the anticipated revenue increase, their fans will be too.

Adams, 28, has now spent the past six seasons playing top-flight football, scoring ten goals across all competitions in Italy this campaign, the previous five in the Premier League with Southampton.

It is expected that Birmingham boss Chris Davies will continue with his preferred 4-2-3-1, so it’s hard to see both coexisting unless Stansfield is pushed into a No.10 role—something he’s capable of but hasn’t regularly excelled at.

Che Adams' Premier League experience can help retain the champion mentality

If a two-striker system was adopted, Adams and Stansfield could form a potent partnership, with Adams dropping deep and dragging defenders, and Stansfield exploiting space in behind. It mirrors the dynamic Adams once shared with Lukas Jutkiewicz—a physical-technical blend that wreaked havoc in the Championship.

But that system would come at a cost. It likely means sacrificing a wide player or an advanced midfielder, potentially weakening Birmingham’s creative build-up through central areas.

Regardless of what the intentions are for Birmingham City next season, squad depth will be crucial.

If Adams arrives, expect a rotational model or a switch to a dual-striker formation. Stansfield, still just 22, could benefit from that developmentally, even though he scored 12 league goals in the Championship during his loan spell at Blues.

Adams to Birmingham would be a massive statement of intent. It’s a move that can be argued makes sense sentimentally and tactically, but it also challenges the club to rethink their attacking blueprint.

FLW exclusively revealed Kwame Poku, who has never played above the third tier, has been offered an eye-watering £30,000-a-week contract, which suggests the blueprint is already being reworked.