Stoke City set sights on Birmingham City standout

01/27/2025 10:07 AM

Birmingham City captain Krystian Bielik is attracting interest from Stoke City, according to reporter Fraser Fletcher.

Birmingham City are looking to maintain their push for an immediate Championship comeback. BCFC are top of the League One table with Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham their main competitions for a place in the top two.

The financial power possessed by the Blues meant they had a summer window different to almost any other relegated side.

Players were sold, of course, but those who departed were replaced, and they were able to keep assets who are capable of playing far above League One level.

Among them is Birmingham City captain Krystian Bielik, and while he stayed put in the summer, the Poland international is now wanted back in the Championship.

Writing on X, reporter Fraser Fletcher has said that Stoke City have the versatile former Arsenal man on their radar. He’s alongside Jeffrey Schlupp and Mark Sykes as potential Potters targets, both of whom have already been linked this month, and there’s a chance they land all three players.

Bielik is under contract with BCFC until the summer of 2027 after signing an extended deal in 2024, one year after his permanent return to the club.

Back to the Championship?

Bielik has spent the majority of his career playing in the Championship, featuring in 129 second-tier games across spells with both Birmingham City and Derby County.

There’s no hiding he’s a player capable of operating at a level above League One, hence why Stoke City are keen on bringing him up.

Bielik is solid as an option at both centre-back and further forward in defensive midfield. It was with Charlton Athletic where he really starred in the latter but he’s been a mainstay in Chris Davies’ BCFC backline.

He’s proven his value as captain too, acting as a leader and talisman in the Blues dressing room.

Would Blues let him go?

Bielik may have only featured off the bench in the last two games after a brief spell out injured, but few Birmingham City fans would deny that he is starting at centre-back alongside Christoph Klarer in their strongest lineup.

Ben Davies has filled in well while Grant Hanley now offers experienced cover, and Klarer has stepped up as captain too.

However, to let Bielik go so late in the window would be a surprise. It would leave the Blues in need of another centre-back for the rest of the season, perhaps as a stop-gap until Phil Neumann arrives on pre-contract terms in the summer.

Bielik won’t come cheap though, so Stoke City will have to cough up a decent sum for his services.

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