Birmingham City should rival Portsmouth for Man City talent: View | OneFootball

Birmingham City should take inspiration from Portsmouth's business in the loan market last season and submit their own temporary bid for young Manchester City midfielder Alex Robertson.

Robertson spent last season on loan at Fratton Park but was unable to get a full campaign under his belt due to a hamstring injury picked up in January that ruled him out for the rest of the season.

His early contributions undoubtedly contributed to Pompey's ultimate success in achieving promotion back into the Championship.

Given the rest of the summer to recover and rehabilitate, Robertson may be ready to head back into the third tier again to do the same.

He was a key early performer for Portsmouth

The 21-year-old signed for Portsmouth on a season-long loan from City in August last year, his second senior loan spell following a short stint with Scottish side Ross County in 2021.

He immediately made a strong impression on John Mousinho's side, picking up 23 league appearances, most as part of the starting XI, and contributing a goal and four assists.

Robertson was deployed throughout the midfield this season, from sitting in front of the defence to pushing forward as an attacking midfielder, showing he is adaptable to fit in almost any system.

He likely would have had an even greater impact on the side's League One triumph but for his unfortunate injury at the beginning of the year that sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign.

Robertson should be on Birmingham's radar

The Blues' relegation to League One will undoubtedly bring changes to the squad as players who see themselves above the third tier move on and the club takes stock following a difficult season.

There will also be a change in the dugout at St. Andrew's, with former boss Tony Mowbray having stepped away due to health concerns, so the new boss will have their ideas on who they want in the team next season.

Jordan James, Birmingham's 19-year-old midfielder who scored eight goals in 42 appearances last season, is unlikely to drop to League One in light of substantial Premier League and Serie A interest.

That means a move for Robertson could be perfect for the Midlands side, providing a cheap and fast alternative to a player like James in the club's campaign to jump straight back into the Championship and rebuild from there.

Robertson has already proven he can perform in a title-winning side at that level, so it would seem a perfect temporary move for the club.

The temptation may be to try and place Robertson at a higher level on account of his strong performances in the first half of last season, potentially back with the promoted Portsmouth, but there would also be merit in the player heading to Birmingham.

Robertson did well in his brief stint at Fratton Park, but he is still yet to get a full season of senior football under his belt, something which will be important for his future development.

With Pompey now at a higher level, that game time will be less of a guarantee as they look to bolster their squad for a new challenge ahead.

The Blues are expected to be in much of a similar position as Portsmouth were last season, so it could be the ideal venue for the young midfielder to pick up where he left off, minus the injury next season.

It will likely be another turbulent summer ahead of a tough season for Birmingham, but attracting a player like Robertson to come in on loan could make for a positive start.