Football League World
·7 October 2024
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·7 October 2024
The news of a contract extension at Birmingham City will deter Leeds United from making transfer advances in the near future.
Birmingham City tied down Paik Seung-ho to a new contract at St Andrews, which will see him remain at the club until June 2028.
Although the South Korean international was only signed in January of this year, the Blues were keen to extend his stay due to his prolific performances at the West Midlands club.
Another significant factor in signing the central-midfielder to a new deal was the summer interest of Leeds United, who were reportedly keen to bring in the 27-year-old on deadline day.
With Paik Seung-ho's immediate future sorted, Birmingham will be optimistic the midfielder can guide them back to the Championship.
When Birmingham were relegated from the Championship last season, interest in their assets was inevitable.
However, the club possessed such financial strength that rather than losing talent, they were able to add to their arsenal, with the reported £15m signing of Jay Stansfield a monumental moment in League One history.
One of the Blues' players who was the subject of interest from Championship outfits was Paik Seung-ho, who attracted the attention of Leeds United and Sheffield United.
According to journalist, Mike McGrath, Birmingham rejected deadline day bids from multiple Championship clubs, with Leeds and the Blades interested in his services.
Despite deadline day bids, the South Korean remained at St Andrews and has started every single one of their League One matches this season.
Although he only recently joined the club, it is no surprise that Birmingham were keen to secure a new deal for the central-midfielder, as he has proved he is an integral part of Chris Davies' side.
One of the other key reasons the Blues tied the 27-year-old down was to fend off future interest from the likes of Leeds, who would have been monitoring the South Korean's situation ahead of the January window.
Given Leeds' reported interest, tying down Paik Seung-ho looks to be a wise move by the West Midlands club.
Since his January move from South Korean side, Jeonbuk Hyundai, Paik Seung-ho has demonstrated that he is a quality player.
Although the club struggled on the pitch as the Championship season progressed last season, the 27-year-old showed that he was more than capable of performing in the second tier.
The central-midfielder was triumphant in his opening two starts for the club, with Birmingham defeating Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland in February.
Despite the South Korean's performances, the club were unable to avoid the drop and suffered relegation to League One on the final day of the season.
Paik Seung-ho has delivered some inspiring performances in the early season, and it is no surprise that he drew interest from some of the Championship's best sides.
With the South Korean playing conductor in the heart of the Blues' midfield, fans will be confident that he can lead them to an immediate return to the Championship.
The news of Paik Seung-ho's contract extension will be welcome news to Blues fans as it should fend off Leeds from making a move for the midfield talent.
Not only does it fend off Leeds, but it strengthens Birmingham's position on the pitch as the 27-year-old's performances have been inspirational.