Man Utd slap £10m price-tag on ace - Birmingham City, Middlesbrough & Millwall should move

Birmingham, Middlesbrough , and Millwall should consider moves for Bristol City shot-stopper Radek Vitek this summer

Radek Vitek has been one of the Championship's standout goalkeepers this season, with the Bristol City shot-stopper having been lauded for his ability between the sticks since his loan switch from Manchester United in the summer.

Bristol City look likely to finish in and around mid-table once again in the Championship, with the Robins returning to normality after breaking into the play-offs for the first time in 17 years last campaign.

Gerhard Struber took charge following the departure of Liam Manning to Norwich City, but the Austrian struggled to break the glass ceiling at Ashton Gate as Manning had managed, and he has since been replaced by veteran boss Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson has managed back-to-back wins on his return to the Robins after 44 years, and has already given a glowing reference to Czechia goalkeeper Radek Vitek, with the Manchester United loanee excelling in net for the Robins.

Following Bristol City's 1-0 win over Sheffield United, in which Vitek performed remarkably to retain his clean sheet, Hodgson said : "I have only watched our players for two games, so I have to be careful what I say, but from what I have seen Radek has all the attributes to be a Premier League goalkeeper."

For a man who has managed over 400 Premier League games, few know more than what they're talking about than Hodgson, and with Vitek likely to be in high demand this summer, with United slapping a £10 million price tag on the 22-year-old, FLW has taken a look at three Championship clubs that should look to break the bank for Vitek this summer.

Birmingham City have fallen well below expectations this campaign, with many having expected the Blues to build upon their record-breaking 111-point season in League One last year.

However, Chris Davies' side looked resigned to another year in the Championship, with their top six hopes having faded away over recent months, having failed to sustain a consistent level of positive form.

In goal, Ryan Allsop initially maintained his place between the sticks, but Brighton and Hove Albion loanee James Beadle has since become Davies' first choice in goal, and has largely impressed.

Beadle is unlikely to return to St Andrew's next season, meaning Birmingham will be on the hunt for a replacement this summer, and Vitek could be the perfect long-term option.

Birmingham has shown a willingness to spend over the past couple of years, splashing out in excess of £50 million on arrivals over the last four windows, and could continue their spending spree this summer with Vitek.

At 22, the Czech keeper would be an excellent long-term option for a club possessing real Premier League ambitions, and if Blues can match his asking price, it could be a match made in heaven.

Middlesbrough's five-game winless run has severely dented their automatic promotion hopes.

Kim Hellberg took charge in the Riverside dugout following the departure of Rob Edwards to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the Swede has implemented his high-possession, fluid style of play on the Boro side, and is one of, if not the best, sides to watch in the division from a neutral perspective.

However, their lack of efficiency in the final third has hindered their hopes, as they have a safe pair of gloves in goal throughout the majority of the campaign.

Sol Brynn has been Boro's first-choice option this season, and whilst the academy product is highly thought of at the Riverside, he has largely underperformed this season, as according to FotMob , Brynn has allowed six more goals than expected at this stage.

With the battle at the upper echelons of the division having fine margins, Brynn's underperformance could be the crux as to the reason if Boro are not a Premier League side next year.

In any instance, Hellberg must sound out a safer pair of hands, and Vitek could be an incredible option.

In comparison, according to FotMob, Vitek has prevented 4.5 goals across the entirety of the Championship season, behind only Carl Rushworth, Egil Selvik, Daniel Iversen, and Viktor Johansson.

This is Vitek's first year in the English second tier, having previously spent time on loan with Accrington Stanley and in the Austrian top flight, and he has taken to it like a duck to water, which can only bode well for his progression.

Millwall , like Middlesbrough , find themselves in a three-way battle for automatic promotion alongside Ipswich, with each side on 72 points heading out of Easter.

Alex Neil has done an extraordinary job since taking charge at The Den, with the London club looking to finally achieve Premier League football for the first time in their history this season.

Goalkeeper has been a troubled area for the Lions this year, with the original first-choice shot-stopper, Lukas Jensen, suffering an injury which ruled him out for the majority of this season, with Max Crocombe stepping in as his replacement.

The New Zealand international, who did far from a bad job, was seen as an area of weakness as the January window approached, as Millwall made the loan switch for Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson.

Patterson, in all likelihood, will return to Wearside once his loan is up, leaving the Lions in search of another safe pair of hands.

Should they indeed be a Premier League side next season, there will be few better options on the market than Bristol City's Vitek, having already proven his capability in the second tier and been on a steady upwards trajectory ever since making his debut.