ORNSTEIN: 43 Y/O WHO TOM WAGNER BROUGHT IN NOW SET TO LEAVE BIRMINGHAM CITY

An influential Birmingham City figure who Tom Wagner brought to the club is now set to leave, according to an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Birmingham face crunch clash with Wrexham

The Blues went into the 2024/25 season as one of the favourites to seal promotion from League One to the Championship, having suffered relegation from the second tier last time around.

Birmingham have made a positive start to the campaign, sitting fourth in the table after four matches and only dropping two points in that time. Wins have been picked up against Wycombe Wanderers, Leyton Orient and Wigan Athletic, with the only draw coming at home to Reading on the opening weekend.

Next up for Chris Davies' side is a crucial clash with current league leaders Wrexham, who continue to impress during a memorable spell for the club, with their recent exploits under Hollywood owners making them one of the most talked-about teams in the Football League.

Birmingham supporters will be hoping to silence the Welsh outfit on Monday night, however, showing that they are the team to beat in League One this season, but they have received a blow in the lead-up to the game.

Birmingham dealt off-field exit blow with Cole set to leave

The 43-year-old was brought to St Andrew's by owner Wagner last year when Wayne Rooney came in as manager, but it looks as though his time at the club has reached its conclusion after this latest development.

Losing Cole could be considered a blow for Birmingham, considering the wealth of experience he possesses in the game, arguably standing out as England's greatest left-back of all time, enjoying superb spells with Arsenal and Chelsea, prior to impressing in a coaching capacity.

Davies may well be losing a key figure in the dugout, which could have a negative impact on the Blues' promotion hopes, with former interim manager Gary Rowett praising his training expertise last season, saying:

"I’m pleased for Ash because Ash and the lads do a lot of work on set pieces but we’re not the biggest team in the world and they don’t get many rewards from it. It’s a second phase set piece that Ivan smashes in so it was nice for them - I think Ash celebrated it with a little dance."

From Cole's perspective, it is understandable why his head has been turned by the prospect of being involved with England, though, in what represents a huge opportunity to prove himself.

Man Utd academy graduate: 3 realistic free agent signings for Birmingham

They could be the final pieces needed for promotion.

It looks increasingly as though Carsley could replace Gareth Southgate as the Three Lions' next boss, and Cole could be viewing this as a wonderful chance to be heavily involved heading towards the 2026 World Cup.