Exclusive: Birmingham City hailed for signing "huge" £3.5m Blues star | OneFootball

David Prutton has discussed the impact of Christoph Klarer at Birmingham City.

Birmingham City defender Christoph Klarer has played a key role in the success of the club on the pitch so far this season.

The 24-year-old, who signed in the summer for a £3.5m fee, has been an imposing figure at the heart of the Blues' back line throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far, and has contributed to Chris Davies' side boasting the best defensive record in the division at this stage of the season.

Blues are comfortably clear at the top of the League One table, with their immediate return to the Championship now almost seeming like a foregone conclusion, and Klarer's influence has been a key factor in their success.

Birmingham made a number of impressive signings during the summer transfer window, and Klarer was certainly one of them.

David Prutton lauds Klarer for Birmingham impact

Sky Sports presenter, David Prutton, spoke exclusively to Football League World about how impressed he has been by Klarer since he joined Birmingham.

"Christoph Klarer for Birmingham City very much hit the ground running when he managed to get in the side at the start of the season," Prutton said.

"He has shown Birmingham fans exactly what he is like. The composure, the dominance in the back line for a side that is built to attack, to go forward, to really take the league on, has been a fundamental building block.

"His partnership with Ben Davies at the back, I think, has been a huge thing for Birmingham City so far this season. That wonderful lead that they have got, that run of form that they went on in recent weeks that was put to bed by Bolton, just goes to show what they are capable of.

"Yes, there is an expectation given the money that they have spent and the personnel that are involved, and the people that are now running the football club, but the other side of it is making sure that it comes to fruition on the pitch.

"Christoph Klarer has been a huge part of that particular back line, which looked so porous in the Championship last season - hence the fact they got relegated.

"It has looked so solid this season as they push for an instant return."

Klarer signing looks to have been money well spent

Unsurprisingly, a lot was made of Birmingham's summer spending spree ahead of the 2024/25 season, as they completed three of the most expensive deals in League One history, as per Transfermarkt.com.

The signing of Klarer was one of those deals, as he joined Blues from German side Darmstadt 98 for a fee which is now believed to have been worth £2.5 million, as per the Rheinische Post, where it was reported that his former club, Fortuna Düsseldorf, received £250,000 as a result of a 10% sell-on clause.

That £2.5 million fee now looks to have been money well spent, as the defender's aerial ability, physicality, organisational skills and leadership qualities mean that he would likely be worth far more than that if another club attempted to acquire his services.

The centre-back will no doubt be part of Davies' plans for the Championship next season, so it is difficult to argue with Prutton's assessment that he was an excellent signing for Blues.