Tom Cannon and the other Championship loan strikers Birmingham City will be keeping tabs on

Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive includes a detailed look at some of last season's Championship loanees

Birmingham City need to bolster their striking department in the summer transfer window.

Only five teams scored fewer goals than Blues in the Championship last season, with their success built on solid defensive foundations. Their three strikers contributed 22 goals between them in the Championship and one of them, Troy Deeney, looks set to move on after being named on the released list.

Deeney, who netted seven goals last term, needs to be replaced. The returning Sam Cosgrove hasn't proven himself in the Championship but he did score 12 times on loan at Plymouth Argyle last season. Irrespective of what happens to Deeney and 6ft 4in Cosgrove, there is a feeling that Blues require a more mobile striker to stretch defences and run channels.

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Given the well documented Financial Fair Play issues facing the club, Blues might be best served looking to find that player in the loan market. Blues used it successfully last season and will no doubt rely on it again this summer.

There were 16 strikers on loan in the Championship last season, and they enjoyed varying degrees of success. Here we take a closer look at all of them as Blues begin their search for goals.

Keinan Davis (on loan at Watford from Aston Villa - age 25, 27 starts, 7 sub, 7 goals, 2 assists)

The first of two Aston Villa forwards on this list, few know the second tier better than Davis. He has never been prolific, but Davis has always been a handful to opposition defences.

Davis netted against Blues in March and would have sealed a £15million permanent move to Watford if the Hornets secured promotion. They didn't and Davis' future is up in the air. Villa will most likely look to cash in this summer and Davis will be out of Blues' price range.

Troy Parrott (at Preston from Tottenham Hotspur - age 21, 21 starts, 11 sub, 3 goals)

The Republic of Ireland international's loan at Preston was derailed by an injury in October and his focus was on playing for the team when he was fit again. Parrott had a knack for winning free-kicks and was happy to drop deep, helping Tom Cannon get on the scoresheet more regularly.

Parrott is under contract at Spurs until 2025, but he is unsure of his future. "I hope I have a future at Tottenham," he told the Irish Examiner. "I've always said that's where I want to play, but we'll see what happens at the end of the season and then go into the summer and take it as it comes."

Ashley Fletcher (at Wigan from Watford - age 27, 13 starts, 13 sub, 2 goals)

Once signed for £6.5m by Garry Monk at Middlesbrough, Fletcher has become something of a Championship journeyman. His latest loan spell at Wigan didn't bring many goals and the season ultimately ended in relegation to League One.

Fletcher will return to Watford this summer and still has three years to run on his contract. With another new man at the helm at Vicarage Road, Fletcher might fancy his chances of getting on the pitch.

Cameron Archer (at Middlesbrough from Aston Villa - age 21, 18 starts, 3 sub, 11 goal, 6 assists)

Having twice proven himself in the Championship, Archer is the most in-demand striker on this list. Middlesbrough are already looking to re-sign the Walsall-born hot-shot, but Aston Villa might have other ideas.

Villa manager Unai Emery has seemingly left the door open for Archer to return. He said: "Always we have to improve and change something, and we did in December. Some players who were on loan like Archer, the circumstances is, by playing more he is coming back as a better player and more experienced. That’s the way."

Archer is everything Eustace needs, but it's hard to imagine Blues being in the conversation if Villa do indeed loan him out for a third time in three seasons.

Tom Cannon (at Preston from Everton - age 20, 19 starts, 1 sub, 8 goals, 1 assist)

Unsurprisingly, Everton manager Sean Dyche seems keen to take a closer look at Cannon in pre-season after his scoring exploits in the Championship. He has already been linked with Swansea, Preston are desperate to take him back, but the ball is in Everton's court.

Cannon showed his key attributes when he scored on his Republic of Ireland under-21s debut in the spring - pace and a calm head for finishing. "Yeah, that is me in a nutshell," said the Everton youngster. "The ball in behind for me to run on to and then - as I always say - I will do the rest and tuck it away."

Joe Gelhardt (at Sunderland from Leeds United - age 21, 17 starts, 2 sub, 3 goals, 3 assists)

Gelhardt isn't exactly prolific, but he is a bullish nuisance for defenders and adored for his work ethic by those who work with him. "Whether he's playing amazingly well or not so well, he works his socks off for the team," says Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray. "He runs and chases and fights and puts his body in. What an attribute to have, somebody who is a grafter."

With Leeds United back in the Championship, they will need players who know the league and Gelhardt has that experience now. It would be a surprise to see him in anything other than Leeds' all-white strip next season.

Sory Kaba (at Cardiff from Midtjylland - age 27, 12 starts, 5 sub, 8 goals, 1 assist)

Kaba's goals were vitally important to keep Cardiff above the dreaded drop-zone in the Championship. He only joined the Bluebirds on loan in January and his record speaks for itself.

Kaba had fallen out of favour at FC Midtjylland but they have since had a change of manager and new boss Thomas Thomasberg said: "I haven't thought about that at all Right now I have enough to do here, and then later we will look at the picture that is for next season. I just have a small overview of it, but it's not something I've thought about at all.

"I spend so much time thinking about the players who are here that I don't really want to speculate about it. The only thing I can promise you is that we will try to make the squad stronger for the autumn."

He added: "In relation to my style, I have often played with a big striker and another striker who could run around. All the way back to the Hobro era with Quincy Antipas and in Randers it was Stephen Odey. There have been a few matches where I used Marvin Egho and Alhaji Kamara, but otherwise there has often been a runner who is around a big, strong striker, which Junior Brumado is, and which Kaba is in principle as well."

Aaron Connolly (at Hull from Brighton - age 23, 4 starts, 1 sub, 2 goals)

Another Ireland international, Connolly had a prolific record in youth football and has now been on loan at Luton, Middlesbrough, Venezia and Hull. Hull had been keen to sign Connolly permanently this summer after he made a blistering start, but he missed the last 15 games of the season after picking up an injury against Stoke.

Manager Liam Rosenior told Hull Live: "Aaron's had a setback with his injury, and I haven't made a decision on Aaron. For next season, our injury record isn't good enough and that's not the medical staff's fault."

Rodrigo Muniz (at Middlesbrough from Fulham - age 22, 9 starts, 8 sub, 2 goals)

Muniz only played 12 minutes after the turn of the year, partly due to injury. Boro had been prepared to send him back in January if Fulham could find an alternative club.

He wasn't favoured by Michael Carrick, who preferred the potent pairing of Archer and the Championship's most lethal marksman Chuba Akpom.

Halil Dervişoğlu (at Burnley from Brentford - age 23, 8 sub, 1 goal)

Burnley won the race to bring the Turkey international to the Championship last summer but he barely featured as they won the title at a canter. A decent goals to starts ratio at previous clubs, FC Twente and Galatasaray, and billed as being capable on the ground and in the air, and able to finish with both feet.

Michael Obafemi (at Burnley from Swansea City - age 22, 12 sub, 2 goals, 1 assist)

Obafemi eventually joined Burnley in January after missing out on a move in the summer. His loan deal is set to become permanent in July after Burnley's promotion to the Premier League.

Henrique Araújo (at Watford from Benfica - age 21, 3 starts, 5 sub, 1 assist)

Considered one of the hottest properties in Portuguese football, Araújo has a €100m release clause in his contract that runs until 2027. But he barely played at Vicarage Road and now heads back to Benfica, where local press suggest he 'retains the confidence of coach Roger Schmidt'.

Tyler Roberts (at QPR from Leeds United - age 24, 14 starts, 4 sub, 3 goals)

Former West Bromwich Albion starlet Roberts is undoubtedly talented, but injuries have halted his progress in recent years. This loan move was supposed to tee up a permanent transfer to Loftus Road that now looks unlikely.

With Leeds back in the Championship, the likes of Roberts and Gelhardt might be needed.

Ellis Simms (at Sunderland from Everton - age 22, 14 starts, 3 sub, 7 goals, 2 assists)

Simms was successful enough at Sunderland to be recalled by Everton midway through the season. Quick and strong, he was limited to two Premier League starts and nine cameos for the Toffees, scoring once.

Liam Delap (at Preston and Stoke from Manchester City - age 20, 20 starts, 17 sub, 4 goals)

Stoke won a division-wide race to sign Delap last summer but he was a little raw in the Championship and got dragged into battles he didn't need to have. He left the club shortly after the exit of dad Rory as coach, and spent the second half of the season at Preston, where he was used mostly from the bench.

Martyn Waghorn (at Huddersfield from Coventry City - age 33, 7 starts, 6 sub, 1 goal)

Championship veteran Waghorn has been released by Coventry City after helping Huddersfield Town stay in the league. He was praised by Neil Warnock for his influence in the Terriers' changing room.

“Some of these young lads should look at him," said Warnock. "He’s been an exemplary professional since I’ve been here and it’s just a pleasure to work with him really."

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