Exclusive: Lee Hendrie makes Premier League revelation about Birmingham City ace Jay Stansfield | OneFootball

Jay Stansfield has lived up to the hype following his big-money move from Fulham

Birmingham City forward Jay Stansfield has been one of the standout performers in League One this season.

Arriving from Premier League outfit Fulham for around £15million, the level of spend shocked many onlookers with the Blues heading into the third tier.

Nevertheless, the 22-year-old arrived back at St. Andrew’s – having been on loan there the season prior – and got his head down, netting 16 goals in just 26 League One appearances.

Although more commonly associated with the other side of Birmingham, we asked former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendry about whether he sees Stansfield returning to the top tier.

Lee Hendrie backs Jay Stansfield for Premier League football

Having made 251 Premier League appearances for the Villans during his playing career, Hendrie is something of an expert when it comes to spotting the talent required to make it at that level.

Assessing whether Stansfield is in that category, speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “Yeah, I actually do think Jay Stansfield will and can certainly be comfortable in the Premier League.

“I think he's got the right traits and the right attitude. Comes from good stock, obviously, and he's still a young man, 22 years of age, with that hunger and desire to really go and show that he's well worthy.

“He's doing it in League One with Birmingham City, he has done it the season before in the Championship with Birmingham where he’s scored goals as well.

“So, I do think he has that ability to certainly step up and play in the Premier League, and I think he's had a taste of obviously two tough divisions, but he's proved that he's one of them who’s a very instinctive goalscorer.

“He gets himself around the pitch in that forward line, so I do think that he can make that step up.

“I think sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward, and I think that's what has certainly happened with him, where he's gone out and learn his trade, and I think he'll get stronger, and he'll get better as a young player, and that's why I think he can make that step up.”

Birmingham must not rush Stansfield back

As Hendrie mentions, Stansfield has already done it with Birmingham in the Championship during his first stint there, and dropping down to score a hatful of goals in the third tier at his young age won’t have done him any harm.

But – given his recent injury against Bradford City which saw him stretchered off – Birmingham must not rush him back into the first-team fold.

The Blues are cruising at the top of League One and look unlikely to be caught. Although a recent update confirmed Stansfield did not sustain any bone or ligament damage, it certainly didn’t look like the sort of injury the Midlands club will want to risk aggravating.

They can cope with minimal interjection from Stansfield for the remainder of this season; they most definitely need him for the Championship next season.

If he can improve on his first shot at the second tier – 12 goals in 43 appearances for Birmingham last season – then conversation will quickly accelerate regarding Stansfield moving into the Premier League, whether that’s with Birmingham or not.