Birmingham City

Birmingham City are in talks to bring Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi back to the UK from Ligue 1 side Rennes. The 30-year-old cost the French club £10m when he joined from Celtic in January. (Birmingham Live), external

Birmingham have also reportedly joined the chase for SC Braga right-back Joe Mendes but face competition from Championship rivals Sheffield United and Southampton for the Swede's signature. (Expressen), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Birmingham City are finalising a deal for Al-Ettifaq and Jamaica winger Demarai Gray, 29, to return to the club this summer. (Birmingham World), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

The EFL fixture list is out and we know you are bursting to know what you've got to look forward to - or dread - from your team this upcoming season.

Here are some key dates to put in your diary:

• 8 August 2025 - v Ipswich Town (H)

• 16 August 2025 - v Blackburn Rovers (A)

• 4 October 2025 - v Wrexham (A)

• 26 November 2025 - v West Bromwich Albion (A)

• 26 December 2025 - v Derby County (H)

• 1 January 2026 - v Watford (A)

• 14 February 2026 - v West Bromwich Albion (H)

• 11 April 2026 - Wrexham (H)

• 2 May 2026 - v Portsmouth (A)

See Birmingham City's full fixture list here.

Birmingham have joined the likes of Hull, Preston, Swansea and Southampton in the hunt for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien, 26. (Alan Nixon, external - requires subscription)

Want more EFL transfer rumours? Check out Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Your club will soon discover their schedule for the upcoming EFL season. As soon as Thursday, in fact.

Want to know who your side will face on opening day? The EFL fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that's not all.

The day will be rounded off by the first round of Carabao Cup being drawn at 16:30 BST.

So check back on 26 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

Watford midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze is wanted by Premier League new boys Sunderland and Burnley, with Birmingham also keen on the Georgian midfielder, 25, who is valued around £5m. (Sunderland Echo, external)

Want more EFL transfer rumours? Check out Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Birmingham are keen on former Man City midfielder Tommy Doyle, who has fallen out of favour at Wolves. (Birmingham Mail), external

Want more EFL transfer rumours? Check out Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City have expressed an interest in signing £7.5m-rated ex-Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi, 30, from French Ligue 1 side Rennes. (Sponichi Annex - via Scottish Sun), external

Blackpool are interested in signing Blues midfielder Brandon Khela, 20, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Bradford City. (Blackpool Gazette), external

Read Friday's full gossip column for more EFL transfer rumours

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest will face Birmingham City in a pre-season fixture at St Andrew's on Saturday 2 August [15:00 BST] to honour the late Trevor Francis.

Francis became Britain's first £1m player when he moved from Birmingham to Forest in 1979, going on to score the winning goal in the 1979 European Cup final and being part of the team that won the same competition again the following year.

Francis had scored 113 goals in 330 games for Birmingham, having joined at the age of 15, making his full England debut in 1977.

A series of celebrations will begin two hours before kick-off at 13:00 BST to honour his life, which will include the unveiling of a statue in his honour at St. Andrew's.

Birmingham City, Hull City and Norwich are among the clubs chasing Arminia Bielefeld defender Louis Oppie, but the 23-year-old German is also attracting strong interest from Bundesliga rivals Union Berlin who have already submitted a bid. (Football Insider), external

Want more EFL transfer rumours? Check out Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Birmingham City and Middlesbrough have emerged as two of as many as 10 Championship clubs battling to sign Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone, 21, after the Ivorian netted 18 goals in League One last season. (EFL Analysis), external

Blues are also keen on Leeds United forward Mateo Joseph but face competition for the Spain Under-21 international with La Liga side Real Betis and Ligue 1 club Strasbourg also interested. (GiveMeSport), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City's Jay Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata have both been shortlisted for the PFA League One Players' Player of the Year award.

Iwata impressed in his debut season with the Blues, with a highlight reel including scoring an impressive goal from outside the box during their FA Cup defeat by Newcastle.

Stansfield, whose signing broke League One's transfer record, was the division's second highest scorer, with 19 goals.

Top scorer Charlie Kelman, who was on loan at Leyton Orient from QPR, has also been nominated, along with fellow forwards Davis Keillor-Dunn of Barnsley and Wycombe Wanderers' Richard Kone and Peterborough midfielder Kwame Poku, completing the shortlist.

The winner will be announced on 19 August at Manchester Opera House.