According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Che Adams was subject of much Premier League interest during the January transfer window. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship side Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his excellent goal-scoring exploits for the Midlanders this season seemingly attracting interest from some clubs in the top-flight.

And that’s because a recent report from Sky Sports suggests that Burnley tried their hand with many bids for the striker on Deadline Day, while Southampton were also linked with the 22-year-old (as per Sky Sports), only for Garry Monk’s Blues to retain the services of the striking sensation.

And that key January success in keeping hold of one of their prized assets may well give the out-of-form second tier side the lift they so desperately need.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it has been a strange Championship season for Monk’s men given they took time to get going in failing to win any of their opening eight league matches, only for an unbeaten run of 11 games between August and October to move them up the table.

And while the Blues did well during the festive period to win two and draw three matches between December 15 and the New Year, they are now without a win in five games to somewhat dent their hopes of sustaining a promotion push in the second half of the season.

Ultimately, they are only six points adrift of sixth place Derby County to suggest that they are still well in the race for a play-off place, but they need to get back to winning ways quickly if they are to start moving up the division and build momentum ahead of the run-in.

And in top-scorer Adams, they have the man who can move them out of their current rut and towards the upper echelons of the Championship table.

The 22-year-old has been in scintillating goal-scoring form for the Blues this season with 15 goals from 29 Championship appearances for Monk’s side, a tally that leaves only Tammy Abraham, Billy Sharp, Teemu Pukki, and Neal Maupay ahead of him in the division’s goal-scoring charts.

And even during their recent run of five league games without a win, it’s not through Adams that they are struggling to get those victories given he has netted in each of their last four matches - imagine where they would be without him.

And that is why retaining him beyond the 11pm January deadline on Thursday was so crucial and will surely give St Andrew’s a big boost, as it’s difficult to see how the Blues would have been able to sustain a promotion challenge without him - after all, Lukas Jutkiewicz is the only other Birmingham player to have exceeded five goals so far this season.

However, they did indeed manage to keep hold of the 22-year-old which is sure to delight Birmingham fans, with that retention of the striker possibly giving the Blues the lift they need to get out of their current rut, and thus start making their way up the Championship table.

Birmingham fans… what do you think? Let us know!