Championship outfit Birmingham City are likely to be working within a tight budget again this summer if their current owners remain at the helm, potentially a source of frustration for many of their supporters.

Even with their limited budgets though, Lee Bowyer and Craig Gardner managed to pull off some shrewd deals in recent windows and they will be hoping to do the same again in the coming months to give themselves the best possible chance of remaining in the second tier once again.

However, the West Midlands side may want to rely less on loan deals as they look to the long term - and this may mean they utilise the free-agent market quite heavily - with several bargains up for grabs if they move quickly enough.

In terms of outgoings, departures have already been confirmed with Jeremie Bela and Kristian Pedersen departing on the expiration of their contracts this summer, leaving more holes to fill in their squad after seeing their previous loanees return to their parent clubs.

Incomings will be needed and with this in mind, we're taking a look at eight affordable second-tier players they could recruit.

With Nick Pope and Wayne Hennessey available as options for the Clarets at this stage, Bailey Peacock-Farrell may be deemed surplus to requirements at Turf Moor once again this summer.

Pope could potentially move on this summer amid interest from the likes of Fulham and Nottingham Forest - and if they do cash in - they will have the funds to bring in a new shot-stopper and improve other areas too.

This is why it would be difficult to see the Northern Irishman forcing his way into first-team contention in Lancashire in pre-season and with that, he could be made available for another loan.

This is where the Blues could pounce if they are unable to seal a fresh agreement for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matija Sarkic, with Neil Etheridge needing competition for his starting spot.

32-year-old Flint is currently the subject of interest from both Stoke City and Derby County, with the latter plying their trade in League One next season.

Although they may face a considerable tussle with the Potters, the lure of second-tier football may persuade the experienced defender to choose a side like Birmingham over the Rams, even with Wayne Rooney in charge of the East Midlands outfit.

Flint will want to be playing at a high level for as long as possible - and he may get plenty of first-team opportunities at St Andrew's with Teden Mengi returning to Manchester United and Harlee Dean likely to leave this summer.

Because of this, a deal between the two parties could be mutually beneficial, especially if the Cardiff man can step up to the plate and become a leader. He's out of contract in the Welsh capital this summer, making him an affordable option.

Another experienced defender in Bamba was released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2021/22 campaign despite enjoying a reasonably successful campaign at the Riverside Stadium, even if his lack of pace was exposed at times.

He was reasonably commanding when he needed to be and may have one more season left in the tank in the second tier, potentially making him a decent option for Bowyer's side with their desperate need to improve their defensive record.

The fact he was released is not a reflection of his performances on Teesside - but Paddy McNair, Dael Fry and Anfernee Dijksteel were all regular starters and with Chris Wilder potentially wanting to freshen things up, it made sense for the 37-year-old to go.

Their loss would be Birmingham's gain though - and his age shouldn't be a turn off considering how reliable he was last term. He's another player that could become a leader at St Andrew's.

Following the departures of Bela and Pedersen, it's clear they need a couple of options on the left-hand side and this is where ex-QPR man Wallace could come in as a reliable second-tier option.

His injury record is a source of concern but as long as they can get half a season out of him - that could allow another signing to play the other half with two first-team options potentially battling it out for a starting spot.

That can only help to maximise their performance levels, helping Bowyer's side to record a much better finish than last term. Also competing in a side that was chasing promotion for much of 2021/22, he's the type of player that can help to raise standards at St Andrew's.

Available on a free transfer, this agreement could provide them with value for money if they can negotiate a sensible wage package for the 34-year-old. A one-year deal will suffice for now.

Some would argue that the club should be looking forward rather than back - but many supporters would welcome back Kieftenbeld with open arms after seeing him become an important part of a Millwall side that nearly managed to force their way into the play-offs at the end of last term.

Football League World understands the club were trying to get Ivan Sunjic off their wage bill because of the fact he was a higher earner and if a move for the Croatian was to materialise this summer, the Dutchman could be an ideal replacement.

The 31-year-old could also be a reasonably experienced head alongside some of their most promising youngsters in Jobe Bellingham and Jordan James next term, both of whom could make a decent impact on the first team in the next 12 months and beyond.

Perhaps surprisingly, he was released by Millwall at the end of this season so there's certainly a bargain deal to be negotiated here if the Blues want to go for a slightly older player.

Bowyer has already admitted he would love to seal a return for Norwich City's Hernandez during the summer and that's no surprise considering the impact he had during the second last of last term.

Recording three goals and three assists in 22 appearances for the West Midlands club, he made a bigger impression than those statistics suggest and would be a game-changer up top for the Blues if he was to return.

However, his contract doesn't expire until 2023 so they will need to fork out on a transfer fee for him if he was to leave Carrow Road on a permanent basis.

Looking at this from a more optimistic point of view though, the fact he only has 12 months left on his existing terms could mean they are able to negotiate a reasonably cheap deal for his services, especially if he isn't in Dean Smith's plans.

Another player Birmingham would have to fork out a fee for is Hull's Wilks, with the Tigers triggering a one-year extension on the 23-year-old's contract to keep him at the MKM Stadium until 2023.

However, it would be difficult to imagine him as a key part of Shota Arveladze's plans considering the East Yorkshire outfit recruited Allahyar Sayyadmanesh and Marcus Forss in the latter stages of the January window.

This could mean he's made available for a transfer and although he didn't exactly enjoy the best 2021/22 campaign, scoring just three goals in 20 league appearances, he has established himself as a regular goalscorer in the past and if they take a punt on him, it could pay off.

At 23, he's only likely to get better as well and Bowyer's side were even linked with him not so long ago, so this deal may end up materialising if he is firmly on their radar.

The West Midlands outfit have also been linked with Gray and according to Football Insider, Reading and Cardiff City are two other sides keeping tabs on the 30-year-old who has been released by Watford.

Scoring 10 goals in 28 second-tier appearances for QPR last season, he could be a valuable asset at St Andrew's but it's currently unclear whether he would be prepared to accept a modest wage.

He may potentially hold out for a side competing higher up the table that can offer a better salary, though one thing he would be guaranteed at St Andrew's is playing time and he could be tempted by that.

Similar applies at Reading and Cardiff, though the former need to operate within a tight budget this summer as part of their EFL business plan and this could end up putting Bowyer's men in pole position to secure his services.

A striker or two may need to be offloaded before he comes in though.