Birmingham City have made a record-breaking offer for Fulham striker Jay Stansfield on the final day of signing contracts.
The League One club has made a hefty offer of £9 million to the Premier League club.
2
The 21-year-old was on loan to the Blues last season when they were relegated from the Championship.
He scored 12 goals in 43 games as the club was relegated to the third division.
Birmingham have by far made the highest expenditures in League One, spending around £14 million so far.
At the start of the transfer window, Sunderland signed Will Grigg for £3.4 million, the highest transfer fee in League One history.
The Blues have already broken that record twice when they signed both Christophe Klarer and Willium Williumsson for £4 million, and now they are about to more than double their own record with the signing of Stansfield.
Stansfield even scored against Birmingham on Tuesday as he knocked the team out of the Carabao Cup.
Speaking to The Pitch Prospect after the game, he said: “It’s only been four months since I was last here – last season they made me feel welcome from day one, I made it my home for the duration of the season, my family loved it here, I loved it here.”
“So I thought it would be respectful to show respect to the fans who have loved me this season.
“I tried everything last season to do my best and keep them in the league and obviously that didn’t work out but tonight they gave us a good game and passed the ball back and forth and I think Birmingham will go far.”
When asked if he thought he had a chance at Fulham this season, he replied: “Yes, I think so. It’s all in my hands and I have to use games like this to get playing time and show the manager what I can do and then just see where that takes me.”
2
“I have a contract with Fulham and I have four years left there.
“I wear every football shirt with pride when I’m on the pitch. That’s who I am and that’s how I always will be. I will always show respect to the teams I’ve played for but at the end of the day I’m a Fulham player and I have a job to do for my team.
“My time at Birmingham saw me grow from a boy to a man, on and off the pitch… and the reception I received from the Birmingham fans at the end of the game was a wonderful moment. I can’t thank them enough for showing me that respect.
“Birmingham will always have a place in my heart, it’s just one of the places I loved and where I really enjoyed the football here.
“But now it’s time for me to take on my next challenge and see where it takes me.”
Stansfield would also be the third new striker signed by Birmingham this summer.
Alfie May, League One’s top scorer last season, was signed from rivals Charlton for £800,000.
Earlier this week, Lyndon Dykes was also signed from Queen’s Park Rangers for three years.
Biggest transfer in League One history
1.Jay Stansfield – Birmingham £9m*
2.Christophe Klarer – Birmingham £4 million
3.Willium Williumsson-Birmingham £4m
4. Will Grigg – Sunderland £3.4m
5.John Brayford – Sheffield United £2.3m
6.Britt Assombalonga – Peterborough 1.9m
7. Emil Hansson – Birmingham £1.75m
8.John Marquis – Portsmouth £1.7m
9. Mo Eisa – Mk Dons £1.5m
10. Will Grigg – Wigan £1.4m
On deadline day, Birmingham completed its 15th transfer of the summer with Scott Wright from Rangers.
Speaking after Tuesday’s Carabao Cup defeat, manager Chris Davies said: “We’ve got some work to do, absolutely, we’re not there yet. We need a bit more – that’s always been the plan, nothing’s changed. It’s just an ongoing process. Hopefully we can get it done.”
“It will come in a little bit, go out a little bit. It’s the last few days of the transfer window and it will be a dynamic situation.”
“There’s a lot going on. From our point of view, it’s not absolutely necessary that we take players out before they can come in.”
Birmingham have started the League One season unbeaten, recording two wins and a draw from their first three games.
On Saturday they will face Wigan in St. Andrews.