New Birmingham City signing Willum Thor Willumsson was wanted by Premier League outfit Southampton prior to his move to the West Midlands, according to Dutch journalist Michael Statham.
The 25-year-old completed his transfer to St Andrew’s from Go Ahead Eagles yesterday for an undisclosed fee. It was the latest big-money acquisition from the Blues this summer, who are looking to make their stay in League One a short one following last season’s relegation.
Chris Davies is the man who has been tasked with guiding the club back into the second tier. His squad has already been bolstered by the likes of Emil Hansson, Alex Cochrane and the current League One Golden Boot holder Alfie May. As a result, Birmingham are the runaway favourites to secure promotion.
It is Willumsson’s arrival that has really caught the eye. The midfielder is an international footballer with Iceland and helped his previous club secure a spot in the Europa Conference League last season. However, instead of facing off against the might of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven next season, he will instead make the trip to the likes of Burton Albion and Crawley Town.
It’s a move which has surprised Dutch football expert Michael Statham, who told Birmingham Live that he is shocked Willumsson decided to move to England’s third tier:
“He is playing for Go Ahead Eagles, who are a side that qualified for European competition last season in the Eredivisie, finishing ninth and winning the play-offs to qualify, so they are an upper mid-table side. I am really surprised that he will be dropping down to League One in England, and I say that not from a wage point of view – Birmingham can afford him now – but more from a sporting perspective.”
Even more perplexing is that he also revealed that Southampton were also keen on acquiring his services. The Saints enjoyed an excellent campaign and whilst Birmingham dropped out of the Championship, Russell Martin guided the Hampshire-based side back to the Premier League:
“He is coming to the prime of his career and clubs such as Southampton and teams in Italy were looking at him. I’m surprised he is making this move but maybe he sees it as more of a long-term gain.
The Club are delighted to confirm the signing of Willum Thor Willumsson, who joins from Go Ahead Eagles for an undisclosed fee. 🔵
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) July 19, 2024
“I think it’s a very good signing for Birmingham. They are obviously looking at players in the Eredivisie who want to play in another country and can offer them a bigger wage.
“If Blues go to the Championship they are in a decent league still. The Eredivisie has great quality at the top, less so at the bottom. The middling teams are of similar quality to the Championship but with less money.”
Writer’s View
Of course, this all comes down to money. We all know that Birmingham are throwing everything at achieving success this season and it does look like they will take some stopping. However, you have to feel that even with the offer of a lucrative contract, Southampton’s interest must only have been tentative at best. The Saints are more than capable of matching the Blues’ financial clout and could have easily matched any offer if they were so keen on the player.
Willumsson could well end up being one of the signings of the summer. He was well thought of in the Netherlands and even though the Eredivisie isn’t the best quality league overall, it is arguably still a much better standard than League One. The problem may come if Birmingham fail to achieve promotion but let’s be honest, that looks unlikely.
Head of Writing
