Birmingham close in on landing £8m star

It wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret this summer that Birmingham City were interested in landing Peterborough United superstar Kwame Poku.

Unfortunately, the Blues’ drawn-out pursuit of the entertaining Ghanaian has seemingly gone cold now, as the likes of Russell Martin’s Rangers accelerate to the front of the queue for his coveted services instead.

This would have been a knock to Chris Davies and Co.’s confidence as they navigate up to the Championship, but it hasn’t stopped them from pressing on with other attacking targets, as the ambitious Blues look to close in on another statement addition up top.

Birmingham close in on statement reunion

As per a recent report from journalist Alan Nixon, the newly promoted outfit look to be edging ever closer to bringing former star Demarai Gray back to their ranks this summer.

Much like their chase for Poku, it had been well publicised that the Blues wanted to make such a stunning reunion happen.

Now, it might well become a reality, with both Sunderland and Fiorentina, who had also been looking at signing the experienced Jamaica international in an £8m deal, left in Birmingham’s dust to seal the sublime move.

Whilst the Rangers-bound attacker had been viewed as the flavour of the month in the EFL after a sensational season on the books of Posh, landing Gray might well be an even more exciting pick-up than the 23-year-old.

Why Gray would be a more exciting signing than Poku

If Birmingham are deadly serious about going after back-to-back promotions, Gray joining will undoubtedly help them to pull off such an arduous feat, with the former Blues prodigy going on to have a lengthy career at the very top after waving St. Andrew’s goodbye in 2016.

Indeed, Gray is likely more well-known in English football now for being a Premier League regular on the books of Leicester City and Everton, than a one-time academy product emerging up the Blues ranks.

In total, the Birmingham-born forward has amassed over 200 Premier League appearances for the likes of the Foxes and the Toffees, with an impressive 19 goals and 14 assists coming his way from those contests, on top of a Premier League title astoundingly being lifted when situated at the King Power Stadium.

Poku might well have a certain level of freshness on his side – considering he has just tallied up a blistering 12 goals and 11 assists for Darren Ferguson’s men last campaign – but the table above really does speak for itself when judging the 28-year-old’s pedigree alone, with a season even under his belt in the Bundesliga when lining up for Bayer Leverkusen.

Moreover, whilst Poku was a breakout success for Posh last season, he has never actually bagged a goal in the Championship, despite ripping up the third-tier, with just a meagre two goal contributions next to his name at the difficult level from 20 clashes.

An “electric” attacker on his day – in the words of journalist Scott Saunders – his first major steps in the senior game did actually come in the Championship with his hometown club, notably netting a memorable hat-trick above three of the eight strikes he has managed in the division when donning Birmingham blue.

It will now be up to Gray to roll back the years on his expected return, with more Premier League appearances perhaps coming his way down the line.

Whilst Poku is the talk of the town as an up-and-coming ace, Gray has already cemented himself as a Championship-capable talent and beyond across his vast playing days, with another chapter soon to be added to his packed story when hopefully starring for Davies and Co.

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Birmingham want to sign “fantastic” £8m ace who scored in St Andrew’s win

He could be an excellent summer addition.