"A massive coup" - Birmingham City praised after winning worldwide transfer chase for £500k midfielder | OneFootball

FLW's Blues fan pundit has spoken about the deal which will bring Marc Leonard to the club

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City have made a number of statement signings already this summer, and they have added to their ranks with Scottish midfielder Marc Leonard.

Despite suffering relegation from the Championship for the first time in nearly 30 years in the first season under the ownership of Tom Wagner, optimism going into a new campaign hasn't been this strong in the blue half of the city for such a long time.

Blues are preparing for the upcoming League One campaign under the management of Chris Davies, as the formerly highly-rated assistant manager of Tottenham, Leicester City and Celtic takes his first steps into being the main man within the dugout.

According to figures, Birmingham have spent approximately €13m (£10.95m) on seven new additions so far as Davies moulds the squad into his own, which include last season's third tier top scorer in Alfie May, Christoph Klarer and Willum Þór Willumsson among other names.

£500,000.

Birmingham City's "massive coup" as Marc Leonard price tag revealed

That's because on Wednesday evening, shortly before Blues saw off SPFL giants Rangers 2-1 in the Trevor Francis Memorial Match, it was revealed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano that the club have agreed a fee with Brighton and Hove Albion for the signing of Marc Leonard.

Leonard has been sought-after by Birmingham throughout the summer amid strong competition from their new divisional counterparts Wrexham, as well as FC Copenhagen and Los Angeles FC of the MLS.

One man who is excited about the Scottish midfielder featuring in a Blues shirt is FLW's Birmingham City fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, who believes this deal represents a significant bit of business.

"I think the Marc Leonard deal is a massive coup," Gibbs told Football League World.

"He was pictured at the Rangers friendly, so it does look like it's a done deal and will be announced soon (it has since been announced).

"I think you look at the clubs who were interested in him and his performances in the last two years at Northampton, everything that I've read about him and the clips I've watched, he's exactly the sort of player we'd want.

"Good ball retention, uses the ball really well, energetic, tenacious and a fantastic appearance record - I think a lot of people are saying he should be playing at Championship level or higher, so I think it's a massive coup to get that one over the line.

"The other thing is, whilst Paik and Jordan James are still at the club and have formed a really good partnership at the base of our midfield, there's obviously a risk that those two will move on.

"They're far better than League One, so having reinforcements if we lose them later on in the window means we aren't scrambling for a replacement. I think it's a fantastic piece of business."

Marc Leonard fits the bill perfectly for Birmingham City

Leonard's record at Northampton whilst on loan from Brighton proves that he is more than capable of featuring at a higher level than where Blues currently find themselves, but the potential for the Scotland youth international to recognise his potential alongside that of the club is a mouth-watering prospect for all Bluenoses.

It's no secret that Davies was looking to add more dynamism into a midfield already stacked with the likes of the aforementioned Paik and Jordan James, whilst Juninho Bacuna's exit is still expected to take place, paving the way for Leonard to move into the squad.

After victory against the Gers, Davies all-but confirmed the midfielder's arrival, but states that more work still needs to be done in what remains of the window, which is an ominous thought for all 23 of Blues' League One rivals, with many already tipping the B9 outfit to romp to the title two weeks before their opening day encounter with Reading.