Birmingham City in contention to sign 26-year-old | OneFootball

Birmingham City in contention to sign 26-year-old | OneFootball

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Football League World

·31 August 2023

Birmingham City in contention to sign 26-year-old

Article image:Birmingham City in contention to sign 26-year-old

Highlights

  1. Birmingham City could sign Oliver Burke on a free transfer, providing much-needed depth to their squad.
  2. Burke's career has arguably stalled, but under John Eustace, he may have the opportunity to thrive.
  3. While he may not immediately secure a starting spot, Burke's presence as a threat off the bench could be invaluable for Birmingham.

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Birmingham City could potentially sign Werden Bremen forward Oliver Burke on a free transfer before the summer window ends, according to journalist Darren Witcoop.


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Burke hasn't enjoyed the best spell out in Germany and returned to Millwall last season on loan.

He may have made two competitive appearances for his current side this term - but it looks as though a return to England is on the cards for the player who started his career in the same country with Nottingham Forest.

Burke has become accustomed to life in the Midlands before, not just because of his spell at the City Ground but also because he previously played for West Bromwich Albion.

Previously tipped to become a world-beater, his career has stalled but he could have the opportunity to thrive under John Eustace, with the West Midlands outfit making an excellent start to the campaign.

Queens Park Rangers - but it looks as though a move to Birmingham is more likely.

It seems as though John Ruddy, Neil Etheridge and Zach Jeacock will be staying so they don't need to touch their goalkeeping department.

It would, however, be ideal if they added some depth to their defence, both in the centre and on the right-hand side with Ethan Laird arguably needing more competition for a starting spot.

And it seems as though they are set to address their central defence with the signing of Emanuel Aiwu.

They have some decent options in their midfield with Ivan Sunjic coming back into the first team and Krystian Bielik joining permanently, and they also have a few players who can operate on the wing including summer signings Siriki Dembele and Keshi Anderson.

Burke is likely to play either on the wing or up top if he arrives at St Andrew's, but he may find it difficult to win a starting spot in either position straight away, with Jay Stansfield recently coming in to strengthen their striker department.

One advantageous factor for Blues going into the final couple of days of the transfer window is that they can utilise the loan market after spending much of the summer bringing in permanent additions.

With just one loan addition through the door, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them strike temporary deals for one or two others if they want to strengthen their squad further.

Would Oliver Burke be a good signing for Birmingham City?

At 26 and on a free transfer, Burke would be a good addition for Blues as a player that has plenty of experience at this level.

He may not be the most prolific goalscorer, but he's certainly a threat and could be an excellent asset for a Birmingham side that will need as much depth as possible.

Not only can they fill extra spots on the bench, but games are also going on for longer and they could benefit from having an option like Burke off the bench.

Although the 26-year-old will want to win as much game time as possible, he may be willing to start on the bench at first if it means he has a good chance of starting in the future if he plays well.

Competition for places can only help to raise performance levels, so Blues should be looking to make further additions before the deadline passes.

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