Birmingham City eyeing ex-Real Madrid player after £6.5m transfer blow | OneFootball

Cesar Gelabert has emerged on Blues' radar alongside that of La Liga sides

Birmingham City are amongst a glut of clubs eyeing a transfer move for Sporting Gijon playmaker, Cesar Gelabert, between now and September 1st.

That is according to Spanish outlet MARCA, with Chris Davies looking to add further bodies to the list of six players who have arrived at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park throughout the summer transfer window.

Birmingham's latest addition was confirmed on Friday when one-time academy player, Max Bird, returned to the Second City from Championship rivals, Bristol City.

Then, just over 24 hours later, Blues continued their respectable start to the competitive season with what could prove to be a useful point, despite playing out a largely uneventful goalless draw against Sheffield United.

Davies recently confirmed that he has looked to refine Birmingham's tactical approach in a bid to make the play-offs for the first time since 2011/12 after the post-season lottery was expanded from four to six teams, and they have clearly been in the market for creative reinforcements, with Gelabert a potential answer to those needs.

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Indeed, Gelabert has emerged on Birmingham's transfer radar late in the window, and one in which an onus has been on plugging gaps in critical areas from Davies' perspective.

The 25-year-old's current employers begin their La Liga 2 campaign at home to Sabadell on Monday evening, and ahead of the fixture, MARCA suggest they are at risk of losing their prized asset's services in the final days of the window.

Within the report, it has been claimed that two MLS outfits in the form of Columbus Crew and Minnesota United have also expressed a keenness to strike a deal with Gijon alongside Blues, whilst 'several' La Liga sides are weighing up the possibility of making a move for the playmaker.

Last season, Gijon finished 10th in La Liga 2 on 61 points, but Gelabert's performances were a major plus as he recorded eight goals and four assists in 41 matches.

Birmingham City's move for Cesar Gelabert comes after major Joe Gelhardt transfer twist

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Indeed, it has been claimed that Gelabert, who featured in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup final for Spain versus England in October 2017, has an array of attributes which have made him a key target for some of the clubs chasing his signature, such as his physicality and stamina.

From Blues' perspective, a move for the Real Madrid academy graduate comes after they were involved in a major transfer battle for Joe Gelhardt, but not a successful one.

Indeed, the 25-year-old registered 17 goal contributions for Hull City last term in their play-off-winning season under Sergej Jakirovic, but after reportedly being on the cusp of a move to Birmingham, the Tigers confirmed a permanent move for the former Leeds United man on Saturday after agreeing a £6.5m package.

As for Gelabert, he is under contract at El Monion until 2028, having been at the club since the beginning of 2024/25, initially on loan from French outfit, Toulouse.

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Despite being the better side in an attacking sense against the Blades on Saturday, Birmingham still lacked a sense of cutting edge and looked to be missing a creative spark, with Paik Seung-ho being utilised in a more advanced role than seen last season.

A move for Gelhardt would have added strong Championship pedigree and promotion experience to go along with the signings of James Beadle, Dael Fry and, to an extent, Jhon Solis, but if Gelabert is recruited instead, it could still go a long way to solving these shortcomings for Blues in their fluid attack.

Last season, the 'number 10' role saw a plethora of names utilised in said position, but it is clear that Gelabert has produced strong numbers in that particular role, which would limit the need for Davies to chop and change.