Birmingham City have turned a major corner this season under manager Gary Rowett by recovering from the horrors of last season under Lee Clark.

Last season, they sacked Clarke in the middle of the season and were fighting relegation after a humiliating 8-0 defeat to Bournemouth. They had one of the worst defences in the league and an attack which lacked potency.

It seemed that they needed a miracle, but Rowett came in from Burton Albion who he was leading to promotion and turned the club around in half a season.

He strengthened the defence, making them one of the tightest units in the country without spending anything. Michael Morrison came in on loan from Charlton Athletic and hugely strengthened the back four. Rowett signed Morrison on a permanent deal for this season and he seems to have brought the best out of the defence, with Paul Robinson, Morrison and Paul Caddis all playing excellently.

Rowett has built a promotion challenging squad on a shoestring budget with Maikel Kieftenbeld, Jacques Maghoma and Diego Fabbrini all coming in on permanent deals to bolster midfield creativity.

He has spent little but seen results, and took advantage of the loan market as well acquiring Jon Toral from Arsenal after his good spell with Brentford last year. He has also replaced young starlet Demarai Gray who left for Leicester City in January.

The one problem for Birmingham has been their strikers, with the inconsistency of Clayton Donaldson proving a problem. His finishing has dwindled in the new year as has his goals, and fans feel if they miss out on play-offs this season, they will desperately need a striker in the summer.

Rowett has tried to mend this with quick fixes like signing James Vaughan on loan from Huddersfield Town, but this has proved unsuccessful. They have talented youngster Brock Madsen on the bench, but that would be a big responsibility for a young man to shoulder.

Also, they signed Kyle Lafferty on loan from Norwich City, hoping he will fix the problem and fire them to the play-offs. If this fails, then here are FIVE ideal strikers Rowett could bring in to partner Donaldson next season...

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 5 PLAYERS!

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Kyle Lafferty

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Seems the obvious option as the club have just signed him on loan, but a permanent deal would make sense in the summer for both sides.

Lafferty does not have a great goalscoring record at Norwich, so a dropdown in division may be just what he needs.

His goalscoring form for Northern Ireland has been outstanding, and his goals have led his country to this summer's Euros.

He needs some game time ahead of the tournament and Birmingham will give him minutes. He would partner Donaldson well with his aerial ability being excellent due to his great height.

He will be a handful for any Championship defender and is bound to score goals at this level.

Tom Bradshaw

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Bradshaw is a top Welsh talent currently playing his trade at League One side Walsall, who are pushing for promotion this season and will almost certainly be involved in the play-offs.

He has been linked with many Championship clubs, including Middlesbrough, and his 13 goals this season shows he is continuing to develop as a 23 year old.

Bradshaw has played internationally for Wales at youth level, and also is known for his pace up front and excellent finishing, as he showcased earlier in the season when he scored a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest in the cup.

Nicky Ajose

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It is unlikely that Rowett will have a lot to spend as Birmingham have only just come out of a financial crisis, so the answer is to hound out talent from the lower leagues.

Ajose is a bit of a journeyman for his age, but at 24 the Manchester United academy product has finally found his feet at Swindon Town. He has 20 goals in 30 appearances this season, and is League One's leading scorer.

Whilst Swindon will be reluctant to let their man go, a player of Ajose's ability will want a crack at the Premier League.

Sam Winnall

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Another top striker in League One, there have been vast improvements in Winnall's ability since leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He was prolific for Scunthorpe United and was League Two's top scorer in the 2013-14 season and, despite being offered a bumper contract, he moved to League One Barnsley and is one of the division's top scorers. But with their promotion challenge dwindling, they are likely to be in League One next season.

Rowett should look to Winnall as the 25 year old is consistently improving and capable of performing at a higher level plus being unlikely to break the bank.

Adama Diomande

Adama Diomande

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been a miserable existence for the Norwegian since moving to Hull City from his native Norway and, since joining last year, he has mustered one goal and ten appearances.

Hull, who are challenging for automatic promotion to the Premier League, are going through a run of bad form down to their inability to score goals.

Main scorer Abel Hernandez has hit a dry patch as has Chuba Akpom, so Hull fans can't fathom why Diomande is not getting a chance.

The chances are is he is growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of chances he's getting, and will seek a summer move.

Birmingham will be keen suitors if they're looking for a cost-effective deal.

Birmingham fans... do you agree? Is there anyone else you'd like to see your club sign? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!