Medical scheduled as Birmingham City close in on new arrival | OneFootball

Birmingham City are set to complete the permanent signing of Krystian Bielik from Derby County, with the defensive midfielder set for a medical today.

Birmingham City to sign Krystian Bielik

The 25-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan at St. Andrew’s after Derby’s relegation to League One, and their failure to win promotion meant another move was inevitable this summer.

With Bielik having impressed for Blues over the past 12 months, boss John Eustace was always looking to bring the Polish international back, and it appears that’s set to happen.

Telegraph reporter John Percy has revealed that the former Arsenal youngster is set for a medical today, with an announcement of his arrival due once that is sorted.

“Birmingham are set to complete the permanent signing of Derby midfielder Krystian Bielik. Medical on Wednesday. Deal works for both clubs - Birmingham manager John Eustace regards Bielik as a crucial signing while Derby receive a fee & remove his big wages.”

It has been claimed previously that Blues will pay around £1m to Derby for the player, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at Pride Park.

Bielik has suffered bad luck with injuries throughout his career, but he made 35 appearances for Blues in the Championship last season, whilst he also featured for Poland at the World Cup in Qatar as they reached the knockout stages.

He will hope playing regularly in the Championship will ensure he keeps his place in the national team ahead of Euro 2024.

Birmingham City summer transfer plans

This is a big summer for Blues, who are obviously in the process of being taken over, which is the main positive for the club after years of struggles. Despite the new ownership, FFP issues mean the club aren’t going to start splashing the cash immediately, so it’s about looking for bargains and improving the squad - which Bielik will do.

He was a very good performer for Eustace last season, and, providing he stays fit, he is a quality operator at this level who brings power and composure to the Blues midfield. So, to get him for a relatively low fee is a no-brainer, whilst Bielik is obviously going to be pleased to be playing in the Championship again.

For Derby, it’s a shame that the player hasn’t managed to kick-on at the club, but the reality is he was never going to stick around in League One. So, they’ve now cleared a big salary off their books, and brought in a decent sum that can be given to Paul Warne to reinvest. That makes this a decent deal for all parties.