Birmingham City seal multi-million pound deal ahead of Brentford, Leeds United | OneFootball

Jhon Solis' loan move from Girona has reportedly been made permanent

Birmingham City's ambition under the ownership of Knighthead Capital Management has certainly been made evident in several transfer windows, and many would expect similar feats in the lead-up to the 2026/27 season at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Chris Davies has been heavily backed in his four transfer windows thus far as Blues boss since his appointment two summers ago, although not all the deals completed throughout said timeframe have brought about instant success.

The 41-year-old was able to conduct a record-breaking window of activity in the summer of 2024, which proved to be the catalyst for the club's 111-point season as League One champions, before much was also expected of Birmingham upon their return to the Championship.

However, such predictions were not translated into reality despite more high-profile acquisitions, meaning Bluenoses will hope for more success on that front in the coming weeks and months.

Blues are also expected to be one of the clubs who will benefit from the EFL's newly-implemented Squad Cost Rules, which will allow clubs to spend up to a maximum of 85% of generated income, with Tom Wagner known for breaking several high-profile sponsorship deals in B9 in recent times.

And, whilst some will hope the pressing matter of appointing a new director of football in place of Craig Gardner is finalised soon, it appears as though the West Midlands outfit have completed their first summer acquisition.

Birmingham City activate permanent transfer clause for Girona FC loanee Jhon Solis

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Amid the club's major squad reshuffle in January, which, in some ways, didn't fully bring what some were expecting in the sense of a late charge towards the Championship's play-off places, Blues were able to bring combative Colombian midfielder, Jhon Solis, to St. Andrew's on loan from La Liga outfit, Girona FC.

At the time of Solis' arrival in the Second City, it was widely reported that Birmingham had either the opportunity, or could be forced to keep the 21-year-old on their books for the forseeable future due to a clause inserted in the agreement worth approximately £6.9m.

The mandatory aspect of said deal was in relation to an appearance-based clause, which would have reportedly been triggered if Solis had played at least 45 minutes' worth of action in 11 games, having eventually gone on to feature 18 times in all competitions.

Such news also came with links to Premier League sides in the form of Brentford and Leeds United, with the West London club holding a long-standing interest in the man who also has five UEFA Champions League appearances on his CV.

But, after talks on that front had somewhat chilled, it has now been claimed by transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, via X, that Solis' move to Birmingham has been made permanent for €7m (£6m)

Unsurprisingly, the second tier side are said to firmly believe in the midfielder's potential, as well as anticipating they would only have until next week to trigger the option-to-buy.

Birmingham City fans will love fresh Jhon Solis transfer update

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During his initial spell with Blues, Solis became a firm favourite with supporters due to his all-action nature, and that was showcased with his celebration after netting in the 2-1 win over Bristol City on April 25th.

Therefore, with the option-to-buy clause seemingly in danger of expiring, it will be a huge relief to all associated with the club that a deal has been finalised, albeit the length of contract remains to be seen.

Following a 10th-placed finish last term, there is a great deal of expectancy and pressure on the shoulder of Davies to deliver after sack calls at various points in the last year, especially with an expansion to the Championship's play-off format.

Meanwhile, this is also a deal which could impact further transfer plans, with several midfielders becoming the subject of incoming and exit talk at the club in recent days.