Six players leave Birmingham City as Chris Davies steps up transfer rebuild

Birmingham City have officially parted ways with six senior players at the end of their contracts.

John Ruddy, Neil Etheridge – who has now signed for Thai champions Buriram United – Marc Roberts, Ivan Sunjic, Gary Gardner and Scott Hogan will be out of contract with the Blues at the end of today.

The Blues wished all six players, plus occasional first-team right-back Marcel Oakley, well in a message on Sunday. Veteran striker Lukas Jutkiewicz has been left out and is expected to sign a new contract to take his St Andrew’s career into a ninth season.

The first team report for pre-season on Monday and Jutkiewicz is likely to be among the squad new coach Chris Davies can call upon. Davies will take a look at the players he has inherited before deciding how many new signings are needed.

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With the Blues losing 11 senior players, including five on loan, most of their business is still to be done. The Blues have only signed goalkeeper Ryan Allsop so far this summer.

The Blues have been linked with Charlton striker Alfie May, but last season’s most prolific striker in League One is also wanted by Huddersfield Town. Tobias Lauristen is also of interest to the Blues, although the Norwegian striker has offers to play in Europe next season.

Davies faces a busy final two months of the transfer window and the Blues’ rebuild should accelerate as pre-season gets under way.

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