Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho has confirmed that he turned down multiple transfer offers last summer, opting to remain at St Andrew’s to help the club push for an immediate return to the Championship.
The South Korean international has been instrumental in Blues’ resurgence under head coach Chris Davies, playing a key role in a side that has lost just four times in all competitions up to mid-February.
Turning Down Transfers for the Blues Project
Following Birmingham’s relegation from the Championship last season, Paik was widely expected to depart. Despite scoring a crucial goal on the final day, it wasn’t enough to keep the Blues in the second tier. Interest in the midfielder was high, with offers from Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City, and Stoke City among those on the table.
“Honestly, I thought I would definitely leave, but the manager is so good,” Paik told Naver Sports. “I kept fighting with myself internally—‘if you play in a better league, won’t you be able to go to the national team?’ And the other half was ‘under this manager, can’t you really develop more as a player while playing the football I like and learned?’”
Building for Promotion
Paik’s decision to remain at Birmingham has paid off, with the club dominating League One and on course for a swift return to the Championship. The 27-year-old has formed a strong midfield partnership with Tomoki Iwata, helping to dictate play and control games.
Despite the team’s strong position, Paik admitted the pressure of securing promotion weighs heavily on his mind. “Honestly, every time we lose, the stress is immense. We’ve only lost twice in the league this season, and even that was stressful. The thought that we absolutely have to get promoted is just constantly in my head.”
Birmingham’s Ambitious Future
Beyond securing promotion, Paik has an eye on the club’s long-term trajectory. Davies has spoken of Birmingham City as “sleeping giants,” and the midfielder shares his manager’s ambitions.
“The manager keeps saying, ‘we are sleeping giants.’ I get the feeling that he really wants to take Birmingham to the Premier League. Ipswich did it that way too. I don’t think it’s impossible.”
With Blues stretching their lead at the top of League One and still in contention for the EFL Trophy, there is growing belief that this campaign could mark the beginning of a new era for the club.
Writer’s View
Paik’s decision to stay at Birmingham City was a gamble that now looks to be paying off. His commitment to the club, combined with Davies’ managerial influence, has propelled Blues towards an immediate return to the Championship. With clear ambitions to re-establish themselves in the second tier and potentially push further, Birmingham’s future looks bright—provided they can finish the job this season.
