With ten games played this season, it is now possible to evaluate the impact of Birmingham City’s seven summer signings. The club brought in five new players over the summer to strengthen Chris Davies’ squad, joining returning loanees James Beadle and Jhon Solis from last season.
Dael Fry, Kristoffer Lund, Max Bird, Liam Millar and Luis Vazquez have experienced varying levels of involvement across Birmingham’s eight Championship fixtures and two Carabao Cup matches.
Here, Birmingham City correspondent Alex Dicken provides a rating out of ten for each signing:
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James Beadle – Minutes played: 810 Beadle’s development has been evident, complementing last season’s growth. Despite a costly error against Middlesbrough just before the international break, his overall performances have improved. He has kept a couple of clean sheets and holds a save percentage of 65.6%, placing him mid-table among Championship goalkeepers such as Viktor Johansson (66.7%) and Daniel Peretz (68.8%). Top keepers in the league surpass 70% over a season.
Dael Fry – Minutes played: 92 Fry’s influence so far has been limited, as he remains the third-choice centre-back, mainly coming on to help see out victories. Nonetheless, his acquisition is sensible given his Championship experience. Sources at Middlesbrough suggest Fry will be a valuable fixture once given a consistent starting role.
Kristoffer Lund – Minutes played: 124 Although Lund was brought in as an athletic, forward-thinking full-back, this has not yet been apparent. In the 6-1 defeat to Brentford, he was preoccupied with containing the lively Jaidon Anthony and struggled to make an impact in his single Championship start against Norwich. The gap between him and first-choice Alex Cochrane is noticeable, indicating that Lund may require time to adapt and justify his signing.
Jhon Solis – Minutes played: 690 Solis is emerging as one of Birmingham City’s best summer signings. Purchased for £6 million, the 21-year-old midfielder’s stock is rising, highlighted by his first senior Colombia call-up. Demonstrating the qualities of a near-complete midfielder, his Championship tenure is likely to be brief. The recruitment team deserves praise for identifying Solis’ compatibility with English football despite occasional criticism.
Max Bird – Minutes played: 12 Bird’s time on the pitch has been limited to a brief substitute appearance against Sheffield United. While it would be premature to form a definitive judgement, expectations remain high that with fitness and rhythm, he could address some of Birmingham’s possession issues, making his signing logical.
Liam Millar – Minutes played: 322 Millar scores highly for his immediate impact rather than potential. The Canadian international is an experienced Championship campaigner who adapted swiftly, contributing four goal involvements in his first four games. This performance aligns perfectly with Davies’ requirements and has already sparked calls from supporters to secure Millar permanently.
Luis Vazquez – Minutes played: 211 Vazquez’s start has been mixed, notably missing a key chance at Derby County. However, he recovered well, featuring at Middlesbrough and earning solid crowd support at St Andrew’s. His situation echoes Kyogo Furuhashi’s last season; supporters have been patient while he adjusts. Although Vazquez appears more suited as an impact substitute than a regular starter, he must demonstrate to Davies that he merits 20 to 30 minutes per match instead of limited cameos.