For a balanced Birmingham City core in Football Manager 2024, build around Jordan James in defensive midfield, George Hall as an attacking-midfield project and Jay Stansfield as a flexible forward. This is a role-based shortlist from FM24 squad listings, not a claim that these are the club’s three highest-potential players in every database.
At a glance
| Player | Age in the FM24 listing | Listed roles | In-game value | Listed cost | Best fit in this shortlist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan James | 19 | Defensive midfielder | £9m | £689k | Holding midfield development pick |
| George Hall | 18 | Attacking midfielder | £9m | £18m | Central creative project |
| Jay Stansfield | 20 | Attacking right, attacking central and forward central | £30m | £73m | Flexible attacking option |
A player’s listed value and listed cost are separate fields in the Sortitoutsi FM24 Birmingham squad guide; neither should be treated as a guaranteed transfer fee. The figures and ages above come from that guide, accessed in 2026, and can vary with database version and save context. Sortitoutsi’s FM24 Birmingham squad guide and FM Scout’s Birmingham prospects provide the underlying listing context.
Jordan James: a central-midfield foundation
James is the most direct fit of these three for a holding role. Sortitoutsi lists him as a 19-year-old defensive midfielder, with a £9m in-game value and £689k listed cost. FM Scout also identifies him as a defensive midfielder and gives him two stars in its Birmingham prospect section.
That makes him a natural development choice if your tactic needs a player screening the defence or anchoring the middle. The listings support his position and prospect framing; they do not establish detailed attributes, a potential-ability rating or a guaranteed development path. Treat the star notation as that site’s listing, not an objective measure of real-world ability.
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George Hall: an attacking-midfield project
Hall gives the shortlist a central creative option. The squad guide lists him at 18, as an attacking midfielder, with a £9m value and £18m listed cost. FM Scout includes him among its hot prospects and identifies his position as AMC.
Choose Hall if your save plan calls for a young player to develop in the space behind the striker. “Hot prospect” should not be read as a promise that he is a wonderkid: FM Scout cautions that its under-21 prospect listings do not automatically mean a player is at wonderkid level.
Jay Stansfield: the flexible forward
Stansfield covers more attacking roles than the other two picks. Sortitoutsi lists the 20-year-old in attacking right, attacking central and forward central roles, with a £30m value and £73m listed cost. FM Scout likewise lists AMR, AMC and ST.
That range makes him useful when you want one player to cover a flank, a central attacking position or the striker role. Of these three, he is the expensive acquisition case in the guide’s cost field. His listed value is not a substitute for that cost, and neither figure guarantees what a club will demand in your save.
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- Need a holding midfielder? Start with James; both listings identify him as a defensive midfielder.
- Want to develop a central creator? Hall is the shortlist’s attacking-midfield option.
- Need role coverage in attack? Stansfield’s listed positions span right attacking midfield, central attacking midfield and striker.
- Balancing recruitment cost? Compare the guide’s listed cost fields rather than assuming a player’s value is the fee you will pay.
- Making an attribute-level decision? Open each profile in your own FM24 database before committing; the cited listings do not establish detailed attributes or guaranteed outcomes.
Why your FM24 database can change the picture
These recommendations refer to FM24 listings, not every possible database setup. Sports Interactive said its 24.3 Main Data Update contained more than six million data changes, including squad updates and changes to Current Ability ratings and attributes for tens of thousands of players. Its 24.4 Final Data Update, released on 9 April 2024, included more than 400,000 database changes. Sports Interactive notes that a new save is required to use updated player and team data. Sports Interactive’s 24.3 update announcement and 24.4 Final Data Update announcement describe those changes.
For exact ratings, values or player availability, check the database version selected when you start your save and the players’ profiles in that save. Custom databases can change the picture further; the figures in the comparison are guide listings, not universal FM24 constants.
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