Sam Cosgrove is a likely outgoing at Birmingham City in this transfer window, with the 24-year-old not in Lee Bowyer's first team plans, as BirminghamLive published this afternoon.

Birmingham City got off to the perfect possible start to the 2021/22 season with a 1-0 win at newly relegated Sheffield United on Saturday. The Blues are entering their first full season under Bowyer's stewardship and will be aiming to achieve mid table security for the first time since 2015/16.

The article cites League One promotion hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers, Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday as potential suitors for Cosgrove, who only joined in January from Aberdeen on a deal running to the summer of 2024.

This speculation would suggest Cosgrove is not in contention to feature in the club's League Cup first round tie against Colchester United on Tuesday.

Cosgrove has fallen down the pecking order amongst immense competition for places at Saint Andrew's with Scott Hogan, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Chuks Aneke all ahead in Bowyer's estimation. The 24-year-old earned his move to the Championship having scored 47 goals in 103 outings for Aberdeen, with the Blues forking out a whopping £2.03million for him according to Transfermarkt.

Wycombe Wanderers seems the most feesable option, as does a loan move, having raised funds this summer with the sale of Uche Ikpeazu to Middlesbrough.

The Verdict

With three years left on his contract and a transfer fee that large there has to be an element of asset management from Birmingham here. If a permanent Cosgrove exit is their desire then they will be wanting to recoup at least a sizeable portion of that transfer fee and choosing his next move wisely is crucial for that.

Should he succeed at League One level this season then he becomes an attractive proposition next summer, particularly with a club challenging at the top of the third tier.

The three clubs named do not look like certainties to earn a play-off place but Cosgrove needs to be playing, Darren Moore's Owls would be a sensible move and the most comparable in the size of the club to Birmingham. It is an awkward position for the club and the player just one window after a £2.03million move.