With Birmingham sitting in eighth position and only three points off the playoff places, Gary Rowett has become an early contender for manager of the year.

With the size of the squad and resources at his disposal, he and Birmingham are punching above their weight.

Birmingham has had a level of consistency which is essential for a late play-off push, and if Rowett can use the emergency loan window in an astute manner, then they could surprise some and take the final play-off spot.

Similar to Birmingham, West Ham have surprised some in one of the most unpredictable Premier League seasons in recent memory.

It was essential that they secured their Premier League survival before the stadium switch to the Olympic Stadium, and they have seemed to have done that with ease.

West Ham has also had one of the longest campaigns, in terms of matches played, of all the teams in England, Bilic may look to loan out some his talented youth squad and Birmingham City would be an excellent destination for young talent to have regular playing time and develop.

This article will look at THREE players that Birmingham City could potentially get on loan who would be a good fit for the Midlands club……

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 3 PLAYERS!

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Djair Parfitt-Williams

One of the most promising talents in West Ham's development squad, the next step for the young attacker would to get some senior first team football out on loan.

The Bermuda-born striker was scouted when playing for San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS before making the move to the East London side.

Parfitt-Williams may be of interest to Birmingham City because despite his inexperience, there is clearly raw potential and the versatility that could prove useful for the squad.

Although Parfitt-Williams is an out and out striker, he also has the pace and trickery to play on either wing and has also played in the deeper play-making role which would provide fellow loanee, Jon Toral some competition.

Parfitt-Williams was the top goalscorer for West Ham's Under-18 side last season and has since moved up to the U21 side, a loan move could be the defining moment in Parfitt-Williams' career as he will gain experience and get a feel for the game on a senior professional level.

Gary Rowett may look at him as a player that he can develop and with his versatility, he is a different option to the attackers at the club at the moment.

Even if Parfitt-Williams was to pick up a handful of goals, it could prove crucial in the battle for a playoff spot.

Doneil Henry

Another potential player that could join Birmingham City from West Ham would be Doneil Henry. The defender is one of the hottest prospects in West Ham's development squad.

Henry showed serious promise when he was at Toronto FC, which led to a move to the Cypriot outfit Apollon Limassol and eventually to to West Ham.

Despite only being 19, he is a full Canadian international and has experience playing in a major continental competition when he played for Canada in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in the United States.

Doneil Henry would be an ideal for signing for any Championship side. He impressed on two separate loan stints at Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City could also be a good fit for the young defender.

His skill set and attributes seem ideal for the Championship, as he is a physical athletic defender that can cover the ground well and has the defensive awareness which is impressive for a player of his age.

Gary Rowett may look to strengthen his defensive options, and Doneil Henry would be excellent cover and competition for Michael Morrison and veteran defender, Paul Robinson.

Reece Oxford

The final player that Birmingham should look to sign is Reece Oxford.

Of the three, he is the household name after his excellent opening day performance against Arsenal where he was thrusted into the limelight.

Oxford has featured in West Ham's match day squad on multiple occasions but has only made a handful of appearances.

Similar to Parfitt-Williams, Oxford has versatility which is an attractive trait for Rowett, the young defender can play both at centre-half and in the midfield where he can break the play up and do the simple passes and dirty work that is often overlooked.

Oxford's ability on the ball and capability to play in midfield shows that he is a ball playing defender who is comfortable in possession and when playing at centre-half, he can step out of defence and pick a pass which could transition defence into attack and launch effective counter attacks from deep.

As the captain of England's Under-17 side, he also has the leadership qualities despite his age and he is already ready to begin to be carefully introduced to senior football. Bilic has already considered loaning him out to Charlton Athletic but the move never came to fruition.

Instead, Rowett could look to swoop in and sign the young defender to give him the opportunity of regularly playing football, and help Birmingham City reach the play-offs against the odds.

Oxford's development would continue as he gains more experience and knowhow, and he would quickly become a fan favourite at St Andrew's.