"Really good business sense" - Pundit reacts as Birmingham City secure deal for 29-year-old | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on Birmingham City's decision to extend Keshi Anderson's contract

Carlton Palmer believes Birmingham City have made the right decision to extend Keshi Anderson’s current contract.

The club confirmed earlier this week that the 29-year-old has extended his current deal with the club to the summer of 2026.

The midfielder joined the Blues in the summer of 2023 from Blackpool, and has been a regular presence in the first team squad since.

Anderson has made 28 league appearances for the Midlands outfit since his move from the Seasiders, including 16 starts (all stats from Fbref).

Birmingham will be hoping he can play a role in helping the club gain promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt this season following their relegation in the previous campaign.

Keshi Anderson contract verdict

Palmer believes that Birmingham’s move to extend Anderson’s contract makes a lot of sense, as it avoids any disruption to this campaign, with his previous deal set to expire in 2025.

He has claimed that the League One side will have a lot of options in the summer, giving them some control over whether the player will be needed in the team next season or not.

“Fresh off the back of South Korean midfielder Paik Seung-ho agreeing a new two-year deal, news coming out of Birmingham is that Keshi Anderson has signed a one-year extension to his contract with the League One pace-setters,” Palmer told Football League World.

“Birmingham sit top of the league after 10 games, and they’re going really, really well.

“The 29-year-old joined Blues from Blackpool in June ‘23 on an initial 12 month deal with an option for a further year.

“But news coming out of St. Andrew’s is he’s agreed fresh terms to stay until at least the end of 2025/26 season.

“I think it’s a good move by Birmingham.

“What you don’t want is disruptions during the season.

“The aim is to get promotion to the Championship, so they’ve not put him on a three or four year contract, he’s got an extension for one year, that then gives them the option that they don’t have to worry through the season.

“At the end of this year, he will still only be 30-years-of-age, so at the end of the season if they feel he’s not going to be able to contribute in the Championship then they’ll be able to move him on.

“If they do feel that he can contribute in the Championship, then he’s got a year on his contract, so for me that makes really good business sense to tie him down.

“He’s been involved in all but one of Birmingham’s nine league matches this season, so he will be a very important player for them this season.

“And, as I say, the objective is to get back to the Championship, and what you don’t want is a disruption in the middle of the season, or in January, people coming in looking for him, and the player is unsettled, you just want him to concentrate on the job in hand.”

Birmingham City’s start to League One season

Birmingham have made a strong start to life in League One, winning seven of their opening nine fixtures.

Chris Davies’ side sit top of the third division table, while also having played a game fewer than second place Wrexham.

The gap to Mansfield Town in third is only two points after the Blues suffered their first defeat of the campaign last weekend to Charlton Athletic.

Next up for the Midlands outfit is a trip to face Lincoln City on 19 October.

Birmingham now in control of Anderson’s future

Tying Anderson down for another year now gives Birmingham a lot of control over the player’s future.

Palmer makes a strong point that the Blues can now decide this summer whether they think the midfielder will be useful for them in the Championship, if they get there, or if he needs to be sold.

And for Anderson, this gives him some security going into the rest of the season, knowing he doesn’t have to think about potential plans for next year as a free agent.

This is a smart deal that works well for all parties, and avoids any disruption to the first team squad in their pursuit of promotion.