Big names to join Tom Brady at Birmingham? Transfer prediction from former Blues star as ambitious plans for new stadium & NFL games are laid out

Birmingham tumbled into League One during Brady’s first season as a minority stakeholder of the club. They did, however, bounce back in style when claiming the third tier title in record-breaking fashion last term.

With big-spending owners on board, the Blues are aiming high. They want to beat Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and Wrexham to the top tier, with both clubs generating plenty of noise away from the field - with documentary series opening up a window to the world.

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady has helped Birmingham to spread their word, with the American football legend fully signed up to an exciting project in the West Midlands. He is helping to bring a winning mentality to St Andrew’s.

With the Blues’ mass appeal continuing to grow, Carr - speaking in association with Metaspins soccer - told GOAL when asked if more household names will head to Birmingham: “I think so. I think that’s what they are aiming for. The stadium that they just released, you can see what they are building - that is for the Premier League, that’s not for the Football League. That has to be a Premier League stadium.

“I know there is all the other stuff with it, the NFL and everything, but it is being geared up now where they want to go. Very ambitious. But there is a limit to what you can spend, it’s as simple as that. You see it at Newcastle as well - the richest club in the world but they can’t go out and buy whoever they want. That’s where they need plans.

“They do need a good few players. If they stay in the Championship, consolidate and then build. They need players coming in. It’s what they can bring in, what they are restricted with and what they can spend. They have always had a good academy there, they produce some good young players. But you see with the stadium and everything, they are very ambitious.

“It’s amazing for the area, it needs it. In the long-term, I think you will see top players. But they need to get into the Premier League to get those players because you are limited in what you can spend. They can’t go and throw money at trying to get to the Premier League. You need to get up, but it’s going to take a bit of time. It’s not simple. The Championship is getting harder and harder. You see it’s stacked at the moment.

“For the future, that’s the goal. The stadium shows how much money they will be spending. That stadium is only worth something if you are in the Premier League, it’s not for the Championship - with the costs and all that. You see Tottenham’s stadium and what they spent, they spent a fortune, but they are in the Premier League. That’s a Premier League stadium, so hopefully they do it and get up. I think you will see spending. I think it will be controlled, it won’t be stupid, but you will see bigger names coming back to Birmingham.”

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Another former Blues star, Clinton Morrison, told GOAL recently when asked about NFL games and Taylor Swift concerts at Birmingham: “The city in its own right is the second city in the country behind London. It’s a massive city and a city that probably hasn’t had as much investment as others - like Manchester and others in the UK. There is a lot of scope for growth economically in the city.

“The owners have got big dreams of bringing this all-purpose stadium in. We have seen it with a couple of other stadiums around the country where they have managed to incorporate other events and generate revenue that way. I believe it is only a good thing what they are planning. Whether that materialises or not is another thing. I believe they have to have Premier League status in order to achieve and attract that magnitude of event.”

Birmingham, who continue to work under the guidance of manager Chris Davies, are very much in the Championship top-six picture this season. They sit eighth in the table at present, one point outside the play-off places and only five adrift of the second automatic promotion spot.

They will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Southampton. They have six more games through to the end of the calendar year, at which point another transfer window will open and more fresh faces could be welcomed through the doors.