Birmingham City player who could be remembered as a costly flop if he departs this summer

admin | April 6, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

When Croatian international midfielder Ivan Sunjic joined Birmingham City in the summer of 2019, fans had high expectations.

He had only been capped once by Croatia, but this was a team that had reached the World Cup final the previous year, so Sunjic was clearly a promising future.

The midfielder also captained Croatia’s under-21 side at the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championships, so he was evidently well-regarded in his native country, and Blues’ announcement of his acquisition appeared to be a triumph.

They paid a club record sum of £6.3 million to lure him to St Andrew’s from Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb, and it appeared to be a genuine statement of determination from Pep Clotet’s side.

However, it hasn’t quite worked out that way, and over five years later, Sunjic is set to leave St Andrew’s when his contract expires this summer.

Ivan Sunjic’s time at Birmingham City

Ivan Sunjic is definitely a great player, but it has been tough for him to demonstrate his full potential at St Andrews.

To be sure, he hasn’t helped himself by playing for a bad team that has been in the bottom half of the Championship table since he arrived in the summer of 2019.

Sunjic made 41 appearances and scored three goals in his debut season at St Andrew’s, and there were high hopes that the youngster would improve in subsequent seasons.

Despite playing 45 games the next season, Sunjic scored only one goal. It was a similar story the next season, and while playing 44 games for the Blues, he did not exactly shine.

Sunjic’s time with Birmingham City is best described as solid but unspectacular.

He has not been the club’s worst player in recent seasons, but aside from the occasional flash of brilliance, he has also not been very spectacular.

His tenure at St Andrew’s appeared to be over when he went on loan to demoted Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin in 2022/23, but he’s returned to the first team this season.

He’s made 35 appearances for Birmingham this season and donned the captain’s armband against West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday in February.

With his contract set to end this summer, it’s unclear what the future holds for Sunjic at St Andrew’s, but if he does go, it’s safe to assume he’ll be remembered as a flop given the money they paid for him in 2019.

Ivan Sunjic won’t want to play League One football with Birmingham City

Despite their recent crucial win over Preston, Birmingham City are in danger of relegation to League One.

If they are demoted, any hopes of keeping Sunjic will vanish, with the player likely believing that League One is beneath him as a Croatia international.

The team will be unable to afford Sunjic’s wages if they are demoted, as the player presently earns an estimated £17,500 per week, according to Capology.

Sunjic will most likely benefit from a fresh start in the summer, and with his contract expiring, now is the ideal time for him to leave.

Overall, Sunjic’s time with Birmingham City has been quite frustrating.

There have been glimpses of his potential, but he has most likely not done enough to warrant the club’s record expenditure of £6.3 million to bring him in.