"Really surprised" - Claim made on Seung-Ho Paik's Birmingham City situation after Leeds United talk | OneFootball

Birmingham City managed to retain Seung-Ho Paik despite strong Championship interest

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…

Some Birmingham City supporters certainly did not anticipate the club retaining the services of Seung-Ho Paik, who only arrived at St Andrews @ Knighthead Park in January but felt likely to depart following relegation to League One last term.

Paik signed for Birmingham in January 2024 from nine-time K League champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC and made 18 appearances as they eventually succumbed to relegation from the Championship alongside Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United.

However, the former Barcelona prospect managed to make a lasting impression on supporters in that period, with many expecting him to move on this summer despite the ambitious summer transfer window which has been spearheaded.

On the same day in which Blues secured the blockbuster return of Jay Stansfield, it was reported by Mike McGrath of The Telegraph that they had rejected eleventh-hour bids from Championship clubs with Leeds United and Sheffield United having also been interested in Paik's services.

Seung-Ho Paik, Birmingham City verdict issued

It is rather telling of Paik's quality that two teams likely to be gunning against eachother for promotion to the Premier League this season both expressed an interest, and Blues can feel fortunate to have managed to retain him until the January window at the very least.

Paik is already a fan favourite, as are many Birmingham players at this moment in time, with a new, and long overdue feel-good factor surrounding the club.

Indeed, Football League World's resident Birmingham fan pundit Mike Gibbs has expressed his surprise that Paik did not move on to pastures new this summer and has touted a high footballing ceiling for the 17-cap South Korea international.

"I think the one player I was really surprised that didn't go all the way from the start of the window was Paik," Mike explained to Football League World.

"I mean you can tell just in the few games he's played so far in League One that he's way above this level and I think he'd easily fit into a Championship side. I'll be honest, I even think he could play in the Premier League, so he's the player that I was most surprised with.

"I think when he signed it was a bit like [Krystian] Bielik, he was using it as a springboard to get back into the national side so a big surprise he hasn't moved on."

Player retention was a Birmingham City statement of intent

Birmingham laid bare their intentions of getting out of League One as soon as possible by undertaking a staggering summer window which included a £34m spending spree and the arrivals of Stansfield, Ben Davies, Willum Thor Willumsson, Alfie May, Emil Hansson and Marc Leonard among others.

But their ability to retain certain players is also an underrated facet of the intentions, having kept Championship quality players such as Bielik, Paik and Ethan Laird with the club.

They are three players who may have been part of the relegation squad but have no real right playing third-tier football, and few other clubs would have likely retained them had they been elsewhere.

Indeed, Paik already appears classes above League One and with Birmingham continuing to find their groove at a quickening pace, the 27-year-old can be expected to maintain his form and have a leading role all season in the double-pivot with Leonard that underpins Chris Davies' system.