January Transfer Window: Birmingham City

Article by Rick Lopez

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Saturday the 3rd of January marks the start of the transfer window, and with it comes an exciting, yet slightly subdued, period of transfer activity. Managers look to add quality to push for promotion, or quantity to patch up an injury-hit squad. Arsenal might sign a defensive midfielder. Crystal Palace a striker.

Yet this transfer window is a different prospect for Birmingham City, because of one factor: money. Where this money has suddenly come from is confusing, but it seems that shrewd cost-cutting measures by Acting Chairman Panos Pavlakis and profit from player sales, have combined to give Birmingham a small kitty of cash to play with this month.

This fact has already been put to the test, with the signing of centre-back Michael Morrison from Charlton on a 3 and a half year contract agreed back in December. Morrison had impressed during his previous loan spell from October until December, and the fact that the club acted on this and signed him up is encouraging.

Blues boss Gary Rowett has talked about having a list of up to 30 players that the club is watching. But where do Blues need reinforcements, and who will they be?

One name that has been linked with Blues in the press is Graeme Shinnie, brother of St Andrews based Andy, who plays at left-back for Scottish Premier League side Inverness. Gary Rowett has confirmed the clubs interest in Shinnie, and this shows that Rowett is unsatisfied with his options at left back. Whilst Jonathan Grounds is solid in defence, he doesn’t offer much going forward, and Mitch Hancox seems to have vanished without a trace. Could Shinnie be the remedy? Maybe, but move could be put on hold until the summer however, when Shinnie’s contact is up. Not financial desperation, but sensible, from the club.

In terms of other areas of the pitch, Blues need to be wary of other clubs coming in for 18 year old star Demarai Gray. With the club having already turned down a £1.5 million bid from Bournemouth, it seems unlikely he’ll be leaving this window, but I feel the club needs another winger anyway. If Cotterill and Gray became injured, the alternatives in the squad are less than convincing with Mark Duffy and Koby Arthur proving inconsistent. One name that comes to mind is West Ham winger Matt Jarvis. Out of favour at West Ham, maybe a loan until the end of the season?

Ultimately, Blues are on a good run of form at the moment, and Rowett will be aware that making too many signings could upset the balance of the team. With 1 or 2 signings in this window, Blues can push on up the table, and who knows, maybe the new found quality will let us push for promotion?

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