Birmingham City Begin Talks to Sign Striker

Birmingham City has started discussions to sign Blackburn Rovers striker Sam Gallagher.

According to Football Insider, Birmingham is now negotiating a loan deal for Gallagher to join St Andrew’s for the 2023-24 season.

Gallagher, who has had limited playing time under Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson, has scored twice in seven outings this season. However, he has faced heavy competition for a place in the starting lineup, with Harry Leonard frequently chosen up front in recent games. Ipswich Town made three bids for Gallagher, which were all rejected by Blackburn. Rovers are now considering Birmingham City striker Luke Jutkiewicz as a potential transfer target.

If the move goes through, Gallagher will reconnect with former Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray, who oversaw the club from 2017 to 2022.

Gallagher has had a positive relationship with Mowbray during their time together at Blackburn, as the striker praised the boss after a match against Sunderland in October 2022. Gallagher praised Mowbray’s impact on Blackburn Rovers during an interview with Chronicle Live, despite their rivalry on the field.

“It will be great to see him, and I hope he receives a positive reaction. He did incredible things for this club.”

“I want to see him, but I’d like to get one over on him. He accomplished a lot for me as a man and manager, and I can’t say anything bad about him. He believed in me, and others can say the same. We wanted to succeed (be promoted) as much for him as we did for ourselves and the club.

“He had a strong belief in everyone and wanted the best for us. Everyone was devastated as it became clear that we had missed our opportunity. It’s unusual for someone to spend so much time at a club and progress year after year. It shows how good a manager he was.

Gallagher’s friendship with the former manager may be the reason that brings him back to St Andrews.He previously had a loan spell at Birmingham City during the 2017-18 season, although his time there was not well remembered by the supporters. Currently, he is unpopular with Birmingham fans. Nonetheless, the idea of reconnecting with Mowbray and a fresh start may change attitudes if the deal goes through.

While Birmingham City fans may have mixed sentiments about Gallagher’s return, his probable reunion with Mowbray could have an unexpected impact on the squad.