It a done deal: Another mega star player committed to the Birmingham City just….
Birmingham City is aiming higher than typical League One players this summer. Despite their relegation, the club’s budget remains robust, supported by Knighthead’s financial backing, allowing them to offer Championship-level salaries.
This explains why Jonson Clarke-Harris, a notable League One striker with Midlands connections, joined Rotherham United recently. Birmingham City can set their sights a bit higher this summer.
However, the team still needs League One experience, making the decision to extend Keshi Anderson’s contract for another year a wise one. Although Anderson was a regular under John Eustace and Gary Rowett last season, his performance justified another year now that the club is in League One. His game intelligence and team effort kept Juninho Bacuna and Siriki Dembele out of the team in the final weeks. Despite his tendency to shoot late, resulting in fewer goals and just two official assists, Anderson’s value is evident. The 29-year-old is a skillful player with a modest salary compared to others at Blues in recent years. Additionally, he has experience winning promotion from League One, having been part of the Blackpool team that secured promotion to the Championship via the play-offs in 2021.
Alex Pritchard, who struggled after his January move from Sunderland, still has two years on his contract to prove his worth. The 31-year-old midfielder, who helped Sunderland to promotion in 2022/23 with four goals and nine assists, is another player with League One promotion experience.
There is also Siriki Dembele, who excelled in League One before. However, it’s uncertain if he will stay after a disappointing season. Dembele, who once left League One behind, might need to adapt to playing at this level again. If he does, his potential impact could be significant. In 2020/21, he scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 42 League One games, aiding Peterborough’s automatic promotion.
Birmingham City’s recruitment team faces a busy summer, but they already have some key players who can contribute to their promotion ambitions.
