Relegated Championship side Birmingham City are set to lose star midfielder Alex Pritchard this summer, with the player reportedly closing on a move to Turkish side Sivasspor as the Blues prepare for life in League One.
The 31-year-old only joined the club in February 2024 from Sunderland, 148 days ago, however, his spell at St Andrews looks likely to be cut short, according to The Telegraph.
The inventive midfielder signed on to play with former Sunderland, Coventry City, and Celtic manager Tony Mowbray again before the latter stepped down due to health issues.
Due to injury and a lack of form, he only made nine appearances and provided one assist, which did not help the Blues stave off relegation.
Before moving to Sunderland in League One in 2021, Pritchard had stints at West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Peterborough United, Swindon Town, Brentford, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City, and Huddersfield.
Is this a loss for Birmingham City?
Not entirely, no. With great fanfare, the player made his debut during the winter window, with many hoping he would repeat his earlier-career form. But he didn’t really add anything, and I think Birmingham supporters will forget he even put on the blue shirt in years to come.
Although there is no denying his quality, Chris Davies’ team may be lucky to have Mowbray gone and the club relegated to League One since they can now direct part of his salary toward other targets who may fit the new manager’s philosophy better.
Birmingham hopes to dominate their way back to the Championship with the projected £20 million budget, although they have only signed veteran goalkeeper Ryan Allsop from Hull City thus far. In the unlikely event that Sunderland accepts Crystal Palace’s bid, they might also profit from a sell-on clause in Jobe Bellingham’s contract, giving them even more sending power come summer.
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