Birmingham City set to complete €2.5m signing of Sparta Rotterdam centre-back | OneFootball

Birmingham City are targeting an immediate return to the Championship after their unexpected drop to the third tier of English football. The club have already started to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season, and now they’re dipping into the Dutch market for a centre-back. De Telegraaf are reporting that Birmingham are set sign Sparta Rotterdam defender Mike Eerdhuijzen, after the Dutch outfit accepted an attractive offer.

Eerdhuijzen is expected to be announced as a new Birmingham City player this week, with Blues set to pay around €2.5m for the Dutchman. Birmingham fans are probably wondering who Mike Eerdhuijzen actually is, seeing as this isn’t a familiar face in the English game. To put it simply, the 23-year-old is a 6 ft 5 in centre-back who played a pivotal part in Sparta Rotterdam’s rise from minnows to giants in the Eredivisie. When Eerdhuijzen joined the club from FC Volendam in 2022, they had just avoided relegation to the second tier by one point. Fast forward two years and he’s featured 51 times, helping them to a fifth place finish and a spot in Europe next season.

Versatility is a big factor in Birmingham’s move for Mike Eerdhuijzen. He’s a left-footed centre-back, capable of playing at left-back, and his size made scoring goals an extremely tricky task for opponents. The Dutch defender has attracted interest from several sides across Europe but Birmingham are set to win the race. A huge signing for a club looking to bounce back to the Championship with ease.

GBeNeFN | Jonas Fielding