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...

Aitor Karanka has taken the reins at Birmingham City and he'll no doubt be keen to freshen up the Blues' squad ahead of the new season which kicks off next month.

In what was a very disappointing 2019/20 campaign for the Midlands side, fans of the side will be expecting a lot more and with that, will be expecting a strong transfer window from the new boss.

So, what does Karanka need to do in the transfer market at Birmingham? What do the Blues need?

The team here at FLW take a look.....

Ned Holmes

There are a number of areas that Karanka will want to add quality to over the summer as he looks to shape the Blues squad.

He'll likely be looking to play the counter-attacking style that we've seen his side utilise previously, so some additions that fit within that are necessary.

Among those is certainly a new forward, whether that is Scott Hogan or someone else. Lukas Jutkiewicz was fantastic last term but he needs support upfront.

With the style that Karanka is going to be looking to play, you feel he'd be looking to add one or two pacey wide men or attacking midfielders. Bellingham spent much of his time out wide last term and has left a hole after his move to Dortmund.

If I were him, I'd be looking to bring back Jake Clarke-Salter as well – whether that is on loan or permanently.

He'll need to sign a new goalkeeper as well, with Lee Camp departing St Andrew's.

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Alfie Burns

There’s a fair bit to do: goalscorers, creativity in midfield, leaders, potentially a new goalkeeper.

As we always see with a new manager, he will bring his own faces in and you’ve got to expect five or six new faces at St Andrew’s this summer.

However, I actually feel that a lot of Karanka’s work is going to have to be done on the training field.

Birmingham need their own identity and a clear style of how they want to play their football. For too long the side has been without a real structure, which the Spaniard will hopefully bring.

New signings will contribute to that and Karanka will probably go straight through the spine of the side, but his work needs to be getting them to gel and get Birmingham playing a style of football their fans can be proud of.

George Harbey

I think first and foremost he needs to find a proven goalscorer.

Scott Hogan looked to be a fantastic signing for Blues when he arrived from Aston Villa in January, but he failed to find the back of the net following the season's resumption and it remains to be seen whether they pursue a permanent move given that Pep Clotet has now left the club.

Lukas Jutkiewicz is obviously a top striker who has scored goals year after year for Blues, but if they can find someone who can work alongside him and take the goalscoring burden off his shoulders, then they could be a formidable outfit next term.

I think creativity is also needed out wide - this is something Blues have lacked since the departure of Jota, and now Jude Bellingham has left, they need to add more goals from midfield, in my view.

Karanka's philosophy is heavily focused on organisation and possession, so if they can bring in a couple of players who are technical and are good with the ball at their feet, then that should help him utilise his system to full effect.