Juninho Bacuna off: 4 Birmingham City players set to leave next summer if nothing changes

Birmingham City’s 13-year stay in the Championship has now come to an end, as the club have been relegated to League One.

The 2023/24 season was a disastrous one for the Blues for so many different reasons, as changes in the dugout led to poor performances on the pitch, which in the end resulted in the club’s relegation.

Birmingham were slowly sucked into a relegation fight as results started to turn midway through the campaign, and even with different managers in charge, the club was unable to turn it around and finished third from bottom, a point away from safety.

So, that now means the club has to prepare for life in League One, and while it is understandable that all focus will be on this summer and what happens in the upcoming season, long-term decisions may also need to be made.

Some Birmingham players are now entering the final 12 months of their contract at the club, so here at Football League World, we have decided to look at how many players are set to leave next summer if nothing changes…

Juninho Bacuna

Birmingham City signed Juninho Bacuna in January 2022 from Scottish giants Rangers, with the midfielder signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.

The 26-year-old hasn’t signed a contract extension since, meaning that his deal with the Blues will now expire in the summer of 2025.

Since joining Birmingham City, Bacuna has been a regular in the side, playing 17 times in his first six months at the club.

Then in his next two full seasons, the midfielder played 43 times in the league in the 2022/23 season, followed by 45 games in the campaign just gone.

In fact, the 2023/24 campaign was Bacuna’s best to date in a Birmingham shirt, as he scored seven goals and chipped in with six assists.

It remains to be seen if he will still be at the club for next season, but if he is and a new deal isn’t agreed, he could walk away for nothing next summer.

Jordan James

Jordan James is another midfielder at Birmingham City whose contract is coming to an end.

The 19-year-old is a product of the club’s academy, having come through the youth set-up and the under-18s before playing for the first team.

James first appeared for the club in the 2021/22 season, and that importance has grown since, appearing 33 times in the Championship last season before playing 42 times in the 2023/24 campaign.

He has become such an important player for the club in recent months, and his performances for the club haven’t gone unnoticed, as there has been plenty of talk about transfer interest.

Serie A side Atalanta have been heavily linked with the midfielder, with them even making a bid for the Welshman in January.

West Ham and Wolves have also emerged with interest in the player in recent days, so given Birmingham’s relegation, a move could be on the cards this summer.

However, if not, James’ contract does expire next summer, but the club does have the option to extend that by 12 months if they need to.

Koji Miyoshi

The next player to enter the final 12 months of his contract is Koji Miyoshi, a player who joined the club in 2023.

Miyoshi arrived from Royal Antwerp on a free transfer in 2023, and he signed a two-year deal, which still means he has 12 months left to run on the contract.

The 27-year-old has just completed his first ever season in English football, and while Birmingham suffered relegation, it wasn’t a bad campaign for the attacking midfielder.

Miyoshi finished it with six goals and six assists in 43 league appearances, as he was a regular in the side when available.

Like many of these players at Birmingham, it is unclear at this stage if he will be remaining with the club in League One next season.

Keshi Anderson

The final player at Birmingham City to have his contract expire in 2025 is Keshi Anderson.

The 29-year-old has bounced around a few clubs in his career, playing a lot in the EFL for teams like Bolton, Swindon Town, and Blackpool.

Anderson spent last summer on trial with the Blues and did enough in pre-season to earn a two-year contract.

It wasn’t the best of first seasons with Birmingham City on a personal level for the player, as he missed a large chunk of the season through injury, which meant he only played in 20 Championship games.

He failed to score in any of those appearances, but he did record two assists. Anderson could be someone that is kept at the club given his experience in League One, but he will be a player who could leave for nothing next summer if a new deal isn’t agreed.