According to the latest sources, if Birmingham City decides to sign Cody Drameh permanently this summer, the club will be required to pay a compensation fee to title opponents Leeds United.
Drameh came up through Thorp Arch’s academy and was one of several players who made their first-team debuts under famed manager Marcelo Bielsa. However, after his debut in October 2021, the teenager only made nine more appearances for the team.
Earlier in the season, the 22-year-old played for Daniel Farke in the Championship and EFL Cup before being loaned out to St. Andrew’s. It was reported that Birmingham City’s agreement includes an option-to-buy clause.
Cody Drameh doing the absolute most to win it back and the crowd going mental is content I love to see https://t.co/2wScXlRqtT pic.twitter.com/NlNIDJcDzc
— Will Gray (@LTFCWill) May 17, 2023
Despite a strong start to the season under former head coach John Eustace, the Blues have struggled in the second tier in recent months. Since joining the Midlands club, Drameh has had three different managers, including Manchester United great Wayne Rooney.
Overall, the Dulwich-born fullback has made 28 appearances for Birmingham, becoming a regular in a struggling side that is currently level on points with the relegation zone following three straight league defeats.
According to Football Insider, Drameh’s 20-minute cameo for Leeds at the end of August in a 4-3 victory against Ipswich Town was his final appearance for the club, as the board does not intend to extend his contract before it expires this summer.
According to a source, Birmingham would have to pay the Yorkshire club an unknown compensation sum for the defender, who is presently valued at £2.5 million by Transfermarkt.
This transaction is a little odd because the player is out of contract at the end of the season, yet Birmingham City has the option to buy him after his contract expires, despite the fact that he will be a free agency. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the inclusion of this condition ensures that the Blues receive him before any other potential suitors.
However, a deal with the West Midlands club may become much more difficult in the coming months if the Blues are relegated to League One for the first time in three decades, which is looking increasingly likely.
