This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Birmingham City are reportedly edging closer to appointing Aitor Karanka as their new manager according to We Are Birmingham. 

It is claimed that Karanka has held positive talks with the Blues, and is set to be appointed as their new boss ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

Birmingham have been without a permanent manager since Pep Clotet departed earlier this month after a poor run of results in the Championship.

The Blues haven't won a match since February, which has seen them slide down the second tier standings at an alarming rate.

They're now sat 20th in the Championship, and are just two points clear of the relegation zone heading into the final match of this year's campaign.

But would Karanka be a good appointment by Birmingham City?

We discuss....

Alfie Burns: 

This could be a great move for Birmingham and an appointment that the club’s fans could really get behind.

Karanka has done fine work in the past with Middlesbrough and, in truth, he was unfairly treated at the Riverside Stadium and even Nottingham Forest, where he could have eventually got it right.

The job at Birmingham isn’t an easy one, but if they are successful with their pursuit of Karanka, there’s a chance for them to get their hands on a manager that’s more than good enough to lead them to success.

After years of fishing in all the wrong holes, this seems like Birmingham finally getting their act together.

George Harbey: 

I think this could be a really smart appointment.

Karanka is an experienced manager at this level and knows what it takes to be successful and build a winning mentality, and I think that's the type of character Blues need in charge after a few terrible years languishing in the bottom-half of the table.

In my view, he was very harshly sacked by Forest and he will be eager to right his wrongs, and the Birmingham job would be a big one for him.

It may take a little while for fans to get to grips with his style, as his teams are often focused on being solid defensively and adopt a possession-based style of play, but they need to trust in him.

It would be a coup to get him.

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George Dagless: 

I think so.

Karanka is a top manager at this level and he should be able to get them up towards the right end of the league, if given time.

Birmingham isn't an overnight fix, that much is for sure, and whoever comes in needs to seek assurances that he will be given space to get the Blues up the league table.

I am confident that Karanka would make sure such conversations have been sorted, though, and so if this happens it is an exciting move for fans of the Blues.