A 1-0 defeat to Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup on Saturday meant Aitor Karanka got off to a losing start as Blues Head Coach. With a week until the Championship campaign starts, Karanka has to pick his charges back up and encourage them to believe that they can win.
Birmingham City kicked off their pre-season friendlies with a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic at Wast Hills. The Blues team was a mix of first team and youthful inexperience with only young keeper Zach Jeacock featured for the full 90 minutes as Blues rotated through their squad at half-time. With less than two weeks until the EFL Cup curtain-raiser against Cambridge United, can people be forgiven for worrying about the thin squad?
It’s not even close to the summer and already the rumours are flying about a potential sale of Jude Bellingham. The 16-year-old wonderkid has been scouted by what feels like every major club in Europe and the hype train seems to be in full throttle – which means a very different kind of summer challenge for the club and the board.
Radio silence on potential incoming transfers for Blues broke yesterday thanks to an Instagram story posted by Saint-Etienne player (and former Blues target) Lois Diony. The picture of Jeremie Bela holding up a shirt with his name and number on has caused a buzz since it was shared by Blues fans on Twitter.
The football season might be coming to an end but the transfer season is just about to begin. The last two summers have been somewhat chaotic for varying reasons – is it just possible that this year will see a modicum of common sense and Blues building in a constructive and proper way?
Despite the club announcing his arrival on the official website on June 25, this website can today confirm that Danish left-back Kristian Pedersen is not in fact registered as a Birmingham City player. It is understood that the EFL have declined to allow Blues to register the full back as a player and have since placed the club under a transfer embargo.
With rumours flying around about the possible purchase of Lewis Grabban by Birmingham City from Bournemouth, the question of Financial Fair Play raises it’s ugly head again. However, the question isn’t so much about if Blues are breaking FFP rules now – but more to the point, does anybody care?
Birmingham City were exceptionally busy in the transfer window, with 14 players coming into the club while the same number left on loan and permanent deals. With all that action going on, how much money did the club spend and is it likely there is much more available?
Harry Redknapp said he wanted new players, and he got them. Deadline day brought the busiest transfer window in Blues history to a conclusion. Four players came in and five left in the last 24 hours to make a total of 28 players going in or out of St Andrews over the summer months.
Harry Redknapp was not a happy man after Birmingham City collapsed to a 2-0 defeat at home to Reading in the Championship. The result left Blues lying in 20th heading into the first international break of the season, with only four days left in the transfer window to bring in new players.
