Sources: Birmingham City update on Chris Davies’ future
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies will be given six to eight matches to save his job at the start of the 2026-27 campaign, sources have told Football Insider.
The Blues hierarchy want the team to be in the Championship top six after eight matches as they aim to hit the ground running at the start of the new season.
Davies, 41, is likely to pay the price with dismissal should Birmingham's early target not be mention as the club chase promotion.
Davies was under heavy pressure throughout the 2025-26 campaign as the Championship side missed out on the play-offs by nine points.
He managed to keep his job but the Midlands club's US owners are hugely ambitious and have backed the manager with significant spending.
It has long been clear that Birmingham’s owners intend to reach the Premier League as soon as possible.
Davies' squad has already been reinforced with two new signings this summer to help achieve this goal, with Dael Fry being the latest addition.
Is Chris Davies capable of achieving promotion with Birmingham City this season?
Davies and Birmingham face a massive task if they want to be in the promotion mix this season.
Wolves, West Ham United and Burnley are all expected to be towards the top end of the table after their relegation, while sides such as Middlesbrough and Millwall will also likely be in contention.
What will work in Davies’ favour is the new, extended playoff system, which allows teams in seventh and eighth to now qualify for the tournament.
On top of this, the fact that Birmingham’s form picked up towards the end of the season could help if the momentum carries over to the new 2026-27 campaign.
What other business could Birmingham complete this summer?
Jay Stansfield has attracted interest from Everton and Sunderland this summer transfer window.
However, Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Birmingham City are “relaxed” over the future of Stansfield over the coming months.
The Blues have the attacker tied down to a contract until 2031, and have also placed a £25million asking price on his head.
The Toffees currently have other targets ahead of Stansfield on their list of attacking priorities, while Sunderland are also considering other options.
However, it remains to be seen where Stansfield will be playing his football next season, with a sale likely to impact Birmingham’s promotion chances.