Stuart Webber is amongst the names being discussed to fill the vacant Sporting Director role at Birmingham City following the departure of Craig Gardner.
Football Insider reported that the Blues are 'eyeing' a move for the 42-year-old, who is Head of Sports at Japanese outfit RB Omiya Ardija after being sounded out by Jurgen Klopp for the role.
While Klopp is expected to leave his role as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH, it's thought that the group have no desire to part ways with Webber and so it may prove a difficult deal for Birmingham to strike.
Webber -- who is well thought of in the world of football recruitment -- made a unique introduction to the scene at Welsh outfit Wrexham.
Initially working as part of the ground staff at the Racecourse Ground on works experience as an 18-year-old, Webber moved onto coaching the academy, before eventually being handed the role as the club's Head of Youth.
In a monumental career move, he made the switch to Liverpool in 2009, where he was assigned the role as the Director of Recruitment -- working alongside managers Rafa Benitez and Sir Kenny Dalglish during his three-year stint.
Head of Scouting roles with Queens Park Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers followed, but it was with Huddersfield Town and Norwich City where his work received the most praise.
Employed as the Director of Football at the Accu Stadium, he was vital in the recruitment of players that got Huddersfield promoted to the top-flight in the 2016/17 campaign.
He oversaw a different role as a Sporting Director at Norwich from 2017-2023, spearheading the club to Premier League promotion in both the 2018/19 and 2020/21 terms -- with Teemu Pukki and Emiliano Buendia amongst Webber's shrewdest additions.
Prizing the Welshman away from RB Omiya Ardija could prove tricky -- especially given that he stepped into the role less than 12 months ago -- but the prospect of guiding a Championship club back to the peak of English football could prove enticing.
Should Webber take the Sporting Director position at St Andrew's, he would likely control the overarching transfer strategy in what could prove a vital summer window, while he may also be tasked with reviewing Chris Davies' role as manager after a difficult 2025/26 season.
