Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday have been among the busiest clubs in the EFL this summer.

Birmingham are gearing up for life back in League One following their relegation from the Championship last season, but they aim for a swift return to the second tier. Reports indicate that the ambitious Blues have provided new manager Chris Davies with a £20 million budget, and they haven’t hesitated to spend this summer. New arrivals at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park include Ryan Allsop, Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Alex Cochrane, Christoph Klarer, Willum Thor Willumsson, Emil Hansson, and Alfie May.

Similarly, Wednesday appeared destined for an immediate drop back to League One after a disastrous start to last season under Xisco Munoz. However, they secured safety thanks to a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl. In May, Rohl signed a new long-term contract at Hillsborough, and the German manager has since brought in nine new players: James Beadle, Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson, Nathaniel Chalobah, Olaf Kobacki, Jamal Lowe, and Charlie McNeill.

With the transfer window still open, both Birmingham and Wednesday are likely to make several more signings. Both clubs will also be keeping a close eye on the latest transfer developments at Rangers.

Connor Goldson and Scott Wright latest

Earlier this summer, Football Insider reported that Birmingham were leading the race, even ahead of clubs from Saudi Arabia, to sign Rangers defender Connor Goldson. Goldson has been a remarkable player for Rangers, making 309 appearances since joining from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2018. However, Rangers are reportedly open to selling the 31-year-old to fund new signings.

The Blues allegedly “discussed a contract proposal” with Goldson’s representatives, but according to TEAMtalk, they might face disappointment as he flew to Cyprus on Monday morning for a potential move to the Cypriot Premier League.

Meanwhile, there is more positive news for Sheffield Wednesday. The same report indicated that winger Scott Wright is “likely to leave” Ibrox this summer. The Owls are said to have “held provisional talks with Wright’s agents,” although they have “yet to make an official bid” for the 26-year-old, who has been a key player for Rangers since joining from Aberdeen in February 2021.

While Wednesday will be encouraged by the latest update on Wright’s future, they face competition from fellow Championship sides Preston North End and Derby County, as well as clubs from overseas. Consequently, there is no guarantee that they will be able to finalize a deal for him.

Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday will have mixed reactions to Rangers transfer update

Given Goldson’s significant contributions to Rangers over the past six years, he would have been a valuable acquisition for Birmingham, who will undoubtedly be disappointed to miss out on him. Goldson was a key player in Rangers’ Scottish Premiership title win in the 2020-21 season and has been a regular in their Champions League and Europa League campaigns.

Last season, he made 48 appearances across all competitions, underscoring his importance to manager Philippe Clement. Convincing him to drop down to League One would have been a major coup for Birmingham. However, they have bolstered their defense by signing Klarer and adding him to their current options of Dion Sanderson and Krystian Bielik. Additionally, the club has the financial resources to make further signings.

Nick Smith, Birmingham City’s Head of Infrastructure, has provided an update on the latest stadium improvements.

Wednesday have added winger Kobacki, with Lowe also capable of playing out wide, but manager Rohl is still looking to strengthen this area. Sunderland is trying to hijack Wednesday’s move for former Leeds United winger Ian Poveda after his successful loan spell. With competition from Derby, Portsmouth, and Bolton Wanderers for Brest’s Karamoko Dembele, Wednesday might need to consider Wright.

Wright is also attracting interest from other clubs, but Wednesday have been linked with him for weeks, and their strong interest could give them an edge. Rangers, needing to sell due to financial constraints, are set to part with both Goldson and Wright, but currently, only Wright seems likely to move to England.