Birmingham struggled in the Championship last season and will need to recruit well this summer to ensure they don't have a similar showing in the next campaign.

However, the side have just had to wave goodbye to Ivan Sanchez, who has now linked up with Real Valladolid.

In the first season he joined, he was a key player and featured 40 times for the club in the league with seven goal contributions. However, last year he could manage only two league outings for the club before being sent out to his new team on a loan deal.

With the player now having sealed a permanent switch to Spain then, here are three players that Birmingham could replace the 29-year-old with in their squad.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing - Sheffield Wednesday

One of the first names on this list, the winger is likely to be available for absolutely nothing this summer and that could play to the advantage of Birmingham.

It looks like Mendez-Laing will end up leaving his current club Sheffield Wednesday this offseason because the player has turned down a fresh deal with the side, as reported by Rob Staton.

Last time he played frequently in the Championship too, for Cardiff, he managed 27 league games with seven goal contributions. The player though has been used more in rotation over the last few campaigns though, which means he could fit in as a good replacement.

Sanchez ended up being not as important a member of the team and Mendez-Laing would no doubt like the chance to be back in the second tier and could be used either as a regular or as a rotation option too.

Tom Barkhuizen - Preston

Another player available on a free transfer this summer is Tom Barkhuizen, who will be leaving Preston at the end of his contract.

The winger has been excellent in the Championship since his move to Deepdale, managing six seasons with the Lilywhites and playing in nearly 200 league games for the club during his time there.

That produced a total of 33 goals and 18 assists for the former Morecambe man and had he not struggled with fitness in his last season with PNE, he might very well have stayed on at the club again for next term.

However, Ryan Lowe has decided to let go of the 28-year-old - and if Birmingham can get him back to his best, a deal to bring him in could be a shrewd move by the Blues.

Robert Snodgrass - Luton

A final name to consider could be Robert Snodgrass if he doesn't agree fresh terms with Luton.

According to Luton Today, discussions are ongoing over a potential deal to keep him with the Hatters but it hasn't been officially agreed as of yet.

That means there could be a chance for a club like Birmingham to swoop in and snap him up. With his level of experience in the Championship, he could certainly help lead the club going forward in their bid to avoid the drop.

Even if he doesn't feature as often - like Sanchez in his last Blues season - he could be a key influence on and off the field. On a free transfer too, it could be a superb bit of business.