Patrick Roberts, Birmingham City decision called "inevitable" as reaction given | OneFootball

FLW's Birmingham City Fan Pundit has weighed in on Blues' decision to sign Patrick Roberts permanently.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City were extremely active during the January transfer window, with six new additions at St. Andrew's over the winter, as well as a seventh signing that saw a loan deal become permanent.

Carlos Vicente was the most star-studded arrival, as Blues spent a reported £7m on the Spanish winger, and he has already had an impact in the West Midlands, as he played his part in a 2-0 win over Oxford United at the weekend.

However, supporters were extremely pleased to see Patrick Roberts become a permanent member of Chris Davies' squad, after a strong first-half of the campaign on loan from Premier League side Sunderland.

The 28-year-old has scored three goals and registered four assists for Birmingham so far this season in the Championship, and one fan is delighted that this decision has been taken by the club.

Reaction given as Birmingham City confirm Patrick Roberts' permanent transfer

Blues have not quite had the consistency that many would have expected so far this season, but they are on an excellent run of form right now, and Roberts has played a key role in that. However, there could be worries that he may struggle for game time with more competition in his position.

But, Football League World's Birmingham Fan Pundit, Jason Moore, believes that this won't be an issue. He told FLW: "It was inevitable, to be fair. He's been absolutely fantastic, and every single Blues fan was calling for it. I think it's smart business, very smart business, purely from the sense that he's Championship proven, and he knows how to get promoted.

"He's not against not being a starter, if that makes sense, and he wasn't that natural starter at Sunderland all the time. Will he struggle for game time? I don't think so. Even if he does, I'm hoping Chris Davies is smart enough to see that he's got a proper squad."

Jason continued: "Both he and Carlos Vicente can play. To be fair, they're two very different players. Vicente is a right-winger who is right-footed and gets down the line. Patrick Roberts likes to put in on that left foot and keeps the ball really close to his feet when he's dribbling.

"So, they're two completely different players. I hope he doesn't struggle for appearances because he's been fantastic and it'd be very harsh on him. But he’s a great signing, exactly what we needed, and I’m very happy to get it over the line."

Patrick Roberts still has room for improvement at Birmingham City

While Roberts has been excellent during his first months at Birmingham, he could still improve his goal output, and this would give Davies a huge selection headache.

The former Manchester City youngster is one of the very best wingers in the Championship on his day, but he must start to add a few more goals and assists to his game if he does want to keep his place in the starting XI.

He has plenty of experience in the second tier, and has battled at both the top and bottom of the division - something that will be vital for Birmingham as they push for a play-off spot.

Nonetheless, making St. Andrew's a permanent home will only help his confidence and he could be the difference between a top six finish and narrowly missing out on the play-offs for Blues.