Birmingham City will be looking to make an encouraging start to the 2021/22 Championship campaign this weekend when they head to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United.
The Blues stepped up their preparations for this particular clash by taking on West Bromwich Albion last Saturday in their final pre-season friendly.
Whilst Birmingham were ultimately outclassed by the Baggies who sealed a 4-0 victory at St Andrew's, they did manage to make strides in terms of their match fitness.
One of the players who didn't feature against West Brom was forward Sam Cosgrove who has struggled to make a positive impression for the Blues since joining the club earlier this year from Aberdeen.
Although his game-time during the second-half of the previous campaign was limited by injury, his overall performance levels were relatively underwhelming as he failed to find the back of the net in 12 Championship appearances for the club.
Ahead of the start of the new term, Birmingham could be about to make a decision on Cosgrove's immediate future if recent reports are anything to go by.
According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, the Blues are seemingly willing to let the forward leave this summer.
It is understood that League One side Sheffield Wednesday are interested in sealing a move for Cosgrove as manager Darren Moore looks to bolster his attacking options whilst Rotherham United have also been touted as a potential contender for his signing.
Currently behind the likes of Lukas Jutkiewicz and Scott Hogan in the pecking order at Birmingham, the 24-year-old could be forced to watch on from the sidelines in the coming months if he stays at the club.
GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...
When you consider that Cosgrove only managed to average a WhoScored match rating of 6.03 in the Championship last season, it is safe to say that the jury is still out on whether he is good enough to feature at this level on a regular basis.
Keeping this in mind, it may turn out to be beneficial for both parties if the forward is sent to a side in a lower division this summer on a loan deal rather than a permanent move.
Providing that he is handed the chance to play week-in, week-out, Cosgrove could potentially make considerable strides in terms of his development.
By returning to St Andrew's as a much more accomplished player next year, there is no reason why the forward cannot eventually make a positive impact on the club's fortunes in the coming years.
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