Birmingham City set to part ways with 11-cap international this summer

admin | May 12, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Krystian Bielik only signed a permanent contract with Birmingham last summer. However, with the club’s relegation, they may already be on the way.

Birmingham City’s relegation to League One was confirmed on the season’s final day, despite defeating Norwich City.

Birmingham went into the last day knowing they couldn’t control their fate, and they were relegated when Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, and Blackburn Rovers all won.

Birmingham’s owners have huge hopes for the club, but they will start next season in the third level for the first time in 29 years after winning only two of their last 14 games.

There will be a lot of turbulence this summer as the team adjusts to life in League One, and Polish midfielder Krystian Bielik will undoubtedly be one of the first to depart St Andrew’s.

Bielik has previously spent two loan spells with Birmingham. However, after signing a permanent contract with the club last summer, he appears to be on his way out following their relegation.

The 26-year-old has proven to be a strong Championship player and will most likely want to test himself again in the second division.

The former Arsenal youth graduate has two years left on his contract, and Birmingham will be hoping to recuperate some of the sum they paid Derby last June.

Bielik may potentially consider moving abroad. However, he is unlikely to continue at Birmingham beyond this summer.

Injury-stricken Bielik represents a risk for clubs

There was a lot of optimism surrounding Bielik’s £10 million move to Derby County in 2019, but he struggled with injuries throughout his tenure at Pride Park.

The midfielder had shown promise on loan at Charlton Athletic, and Championship Derby seemed like the perfect spot for Bielik to advance, with the Rams having recently lost the play-off final under Frank Lampard’s management.

Bielik, on the other hand, suffered two significant knee injuries nearly a year apart and was never able to reach his full potential, making only 49 appearances before moving to Birmingham, initially on loan, before the trade was made permanent last summer.

Bielik’s injury issues have remained at Birmingham, and despite his talent, he poses a risk to any club interested in signing him.

Bielik will struggle to break into Poland’s squad if he’s playing League One football

Bielik has been in and out of the Poland squad since 2019, totaling 11 caps.

He appeared in all four of their World Cup games in Qatar and is seeking to join the squad for this summer’s European Championship.

At 26, Bielik is entering his prime years, and even if he does not make the Poland Euros squad, he hopes to establish himself as a permanent member of the Polish team in the next years.

However, Bielik will struggle to do so if he continues to play in League One, and a move to the Championship or possibly abroad would boost his prospects of international recognition.

As much as Birmingham want to keep Bielik, who has been a valuable member of their team this season, his demotion means he is unlikely to stay, and the Blues should cash in on the midfielder while he still has time on his deal.

It appears to be a reasonable decision for all parties involved.