Birmingham City are rumoured to be interested in a deal to sign Stoke City midfielder Ryan Woods, according to a report from Birmingham Live. 

Woods has found regular minutes hard to come by with the Stoke first-team in recent seasons, which has seen him loaned out in search of consistent game time in the Championship.

The 27-year-old made 46 appearances for Millwall in the 2020/21 season last term, as Gary Rowett's side finished 11th in the Championship table.

It seems as though he's caught the eye of Lee Bowyer though, with the Blues boss reportedly eager to land a deal Woods' signature this summer.

Birmingham finished 18th in the Championship table this season, and were nine points clear of the relegation zone, after previously struggling to stay afloat in the second tier standings.

We take a look at ONE winner and ONE loser at Birmingham City if they were to agree a deal to sign Woods ahead of the upcoming 2021/22 season.

Winner: Lee Bowyer 

The Birmingham City boss would be the winner in this situation, as it would give him much-needed strength in depth in his midfield options.

Woods has been playing his football in the Championship for the majority of his career, and there won't be any concerns as to whether he'll take time to adjust to life at Birmingham if he signed for the club.

Squad rotation is always key for clubs, especially around the hectic periods of the season, and Woods would be a strong option to call upon on a regular basis.

He made 46 appearances in all competitions for Millwall in the 2020/21 season, which shows that he can get through a complete season, without having to be rested too often, which could make him a shrewd signing in the long-term for Lee Bowyer's side as well.

 

 

Loser: Ryan Stirk 

Stirk was given an opportunity to impress in the Birmingham City first-team towards the end of the 2020/21 season, as he featured in two matches in total this term.

But if a player of Woods' experience and quality was to arrive at Birmingham this summer, then it wouldn't come as much of a surprise to see Stirk pushed back down the pecking order in Lee Bowyer's plans.

He's still early into his footballing career though, and could potentially be one of those to head out on loan in search of regular game time.