“Outstanding signing” – Birmingham City backed as club close in on deal to sign 27-year-old
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Birmingham City are set to sign Hannover 96 defender Phil Neumann, who has appeared in all but one of the club’s 17 Bundesliga 2 fixtures so far this season.
The Birmingham Mail reported on Tuesday that, while Neumann appeared during Hannover’s friendly against SV Waldhof on Monday, Blues are keen to complete his signature during the current transfer window, in an effort to avoid a summer scramble for his services, once his contract at the Heinz von Heiden Arena expires.
As Neumann plies his trade for an overseas club, Blues are able to make a pre-contract agreement with the 27-year-old ahead of a potential move next summer.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg revealed via X on Monday night that the defender will be moving to Birmingham on a free transfer next summer.
But a conflicting report from Birmingham World suggested that Blues are set to welcome Neumann to St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park this month.
Blues fan pundit reacts to Neumann transfer news
Phil Neumann in text
Ahead of Neumann’s arrival, either this month or next summer, Football League World asked our Birmingham fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, if the centre-back’s signature was a good deal, and if he could walk into the starting 11 ahead of either Krystian Bielik or Christoph Klarer.
Mike said: “I think the Neumann deal is outstanding.
“Based on the reading I’m doing, and looking at some of the data, looking at some of the reports that are coming out, he’s probably the most respected defender (in Germany) outside of the Bundesliga I think.
“He’s obviously done very, very well.
“We were in for him in the summer, I think there was talk of about £4m.
“I think he’d be an outstanding signing, and all of the signals lead to him being a massive addition.
“I think, obviously, there’s a lot of chat about, yes, it’s a pre-contract agreement, but can we then do a deal with Hannover where he joins in January?
“A lot of the chat on some of the groups that I’ve been in is if you can get him in January, but almost give him six months to acclimatise.
“It doesn’t majorly disrupt what’s going on now, but what it does mean is that, come the summer, he’s raring to go for next season, which is hopefully in the Championship.
“I think, next year, if he has a full summer, or we do bring him in in January, I do think he’s a natural starter, personally.
“I think what that would probably mean is either moving to a back three, or Bielik moving to that sort of inverted right-back (role) that he’s been playing recently.
“It’s a nice problem to have, right?
“Three into two, and if we sign (Ben) Davies, four into three, so great signing either way, nice problem to have.”
Whether Neumann arrives in the West Midlands this month or next summer, he would be a high-quality addition to a Blues side who are already on course to win the League One title.
With ambitious owners at the helm, manager Chris Davies will be hoping to do much more than just survive in the Championship next term too, while Neumann seemingly has what it takes to ply his trade in either the third tier or the second tier of English football.
He has been a rock at the back for Hannover in Bundesliga 2 this season, and is a big contributing factor as to why Andre Breitenreiter’s men have conceded fewer goals than any other club in the division.
Blues already boast an incredibly stingy defence themselves, thanks to the likes of Klarer and Bielik, but Neumann would add yet more solidity to Davies’ ranks.
Read more on;https://sportupdates.co.uk
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