Sold for 6.3m: Birmingham hit gold with ace who’s now worth millions less

Sold for 6.3m: Birmingham hit gold with ace who’s now worth millions less.

Birmingham City garnered a reputation for being big spenders during the summer, entering League One very much as a big fish in a small pond.

16 new faces would end up joining Chris Davies’ ever-growing camp, including one notable deal which saw Jay Stansfield return to St. Andrew’s for an eye-watering £20m, after he lit up the Championship for the Blues on loan even during their relegation woes.

However, splashing the cash isn’t just reserved for this chapter in Birmingham’s story, with the West Midlands outfit prone to

splurging out excessive amounts when still competing in the second tier.

When Sunjic left five years later, this deal would ultimately seem like a waste of money. Although the former Dinamo Zagreb player

occasionally displayed flashes of brilliance, he was always kept in check by playing for a Birmingham team that was always on the

verge of dropping to League One.

Over his 173 games with the team, Sunjic saw a whopping nine head coaches come and depart from the St. Andrew’s dugout. He also

scored seven goals and provided six assists. Sunjic amassed more managers than goals during his time there.

Moving ahead to the present, it’s safe to conclude that players like Stansfield—who has scored three goals—are more than deserving of

their outrageous price tag over the expensive Croat.

It would end up being a sorry end to Sunjic’s Birmingham career this summer, with the relegated outfit allowing the 27-year-old to

leave the building on a free transfer, as Cypriot side Paphos gambled on the former £6.3m man’s services.

Despite Sunjic’s apparent adjustment to his new surroundings, Davies’ team was probably just relieved to have him off their books as

they started their massive squad overhaul during the hectic transfer season. Sunjic, a former senior international for Croatia, is still

worth significantly less than his previous high price.

Football The Market Movers series on FanCast examines how the contemporary transfer market is evolving. What is the current value

of the best player in your team or the largest flop?

Sunjic’s transfer value in 2024

Football Transfers reports that the Blues purchase has seen his value drop to £674k while he is in Cyprus.

That’s a significant sum less than the Ò£6.3 million Birmingham spent on the midfield player in 2019. The third-tier giants are now

regretting having to pay such a high price.

Across the course of his Birmingham stay, Sunjic saw his value fall more and more, with the 27-year-old worth just £1.6m last

October, before moving on for nothing recently.

There will be an annoyance on the end of Davies’ men that they couldn’t get a fee out of Sunjic when he did leave the building, but the

absence of their former midfield dud hasn’t been felt whatsoever in the squad now, with Tomoki Iwata and Paik Seung-Ho striking up

a formidable partnership in central midfield for the promotion chasers so far this campaign.

Seung-Ho has even won himself a call-up to the South Korean national team, as the ambitious Blues eye up an immediate return to the

Championship.

At least in the here and now, Birmingham’s lavish spending looks to be justified, away from splashing out the cash on the likes of

Sunjic who have already been forgotten about in St. Andrew’s quarters.