Birmingham City can find their next Che Adams with summer striker transfer

Birmingham City could do with bagging themselves another Che Adams this summer to bolster their striking department.

Adams was plucked from Sheffield United in 2016, when the Blades were a League One side and the young striker was relatively unknown. He had scored 12 goals the previous season to catch the eye of Gary Rowett and Blues’ recruitment team.

He didn’t initially set the world alight at Blues with just 12 goals in his first 70 Championship games. It wasn’t until Garry Monk arrived and paired him with Lukas Jutkiewicz that Adams started to flourish at St Andrew’s.

READ: Troy Deeney makes Birmingham City admission and details John Eustace pitch

READ: Birmingham City transfer window start date as free agents emerge

Adams netted 22 goals in the 2018/19 season to cement his place among the Championship’s leading marksmen and attract Premier League attention. Southampton tabled a £15million bid in the summer of 2019 and the rest is history.

Blues have found it difficult to replace Adams’ goals. Jutkiewicz netted 15 the following season, and Scott Hogan has hit 10 in the last two campaigns.

It is apparent that Blues need a reliable source of goals in order to make the jump from mid-table to play-off contenders. Those centre-forwards aren’t easily found, especially in the market Blues are shopping in. They will have to strike gold.

Here are some strikers who might be worth a punt…

Lee Bonis

It seems appropriate to start with Northern Irish goal-getter Bonis, who has been linked with Blues in recent weeks. The 23-year-old banged in 15 goals to help Larne win the first Irish League title of their 134-year history.

Bonis only made the jump to full-time football with Larne 18 months ago and it might not be long before he is handed an opportunity in the EFL. Championship clubs have recruited from Ireland with mixed success in recent years, some take off and some don’t, but with a reported £300,000 asking price, Bonis might be worth the risk.

Colby Bishop

Portsmouth snared 26-year-old striker Bishop last summer after he had hit double figures in three straight League One seasons for Accrington Stanley. Bishop has elevated his game to another level at Fratton Park by notching 20 goals in League One for the first time in his career.

Championship clubs already appear to be circling Bishop, who is under contract at Portsmouth until 2025. He scored 24 goals in 52 appearances for Portsmouth across all competitions last term.