League One Side Birmingham City are set to bolster their midfield option with the intent to sign Barnsley playmaker Callum Styles.
The midfielder began his career developing through the Burnley academy but was released at the age of 16. This led to a move to Bury, who were in League One at the time and gave him his professional debut.
Eventually, he would be signed by Barnsley in the summer of 2018 for a fee of Β£250,000. After appearing over 40 times for the Tykes in consecutive seasons, loans to Championship sides Millwall and Sunderland would be finalised.
His time in the Championship would be limited with only 2,000 minutes completed over his two loans. His time at the Black Cats was also during their disastrous period at the end of 2024, where they infamously lost six games in a row.
Alongside his club career, Styles has featured for the Hungarian national team over 15 times with an appearance for his national team at the European Championships. He played in their only victory in the tournament against Scotland.
Styles also offers a great amount of versatility as he can play almost role within the midfield. Many times in his career he has featured on the wings but also in defensive and attacking roles in the centre of the park.
A consolation goal from Barnsley's Callum Styles, but..
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Birmingham City were relegated in the 2023/24 season down to League One, however, with strong financial backing, they will look to go straight back up. A key part of this plan is recruitment, which they have been strong in so far with five signings.
Journalist Alan Nixon has reported that the club are looking to build on this through the signing of Callum Styles. The report states that the Hungarian international can move for around Β£500,000 and is now on the Blues’ radar.
Despite interest in the English-born midfielder, Chris Daviesβ side have also been pursuing Burney’s Scott Twine but are yet to agree on a fee for the midfield creator who is also wanted by Bristol City and Sunderland.
There is also interest in the Hungarian international’s services from other clubs in the Championship. However, Birmingham have more cash than most in the league. Furthermore, the future projects of the club like the plan for a 60,000-seater stadium make it an attractive option for younger players.
Writer’s View
Overall, this is a great option for the Blues to progress their squad. With a bid to dominate League One and go straight back up, a squad that is deep and versatile will be crucial.
In addition, with key figures like Jordan James likely to leave, finding replacements could prove significant. Therefore, Styles is the right option to progress the midland’s based side and offer a creative spark all season.
Despite this, the signing may also not work as his numbers aren’t significant considering the experience has in League One. Therefore, they may consider to pursue other players who are on the marker this summer.
