Birmingham City striker reveals Celtic and Middlesbrough interest before Blues switch as future addressed

Birmingham City striker Troy Deeney has revealed Celtic and Middlesbrough wanted him following his departure from Watford back in 2021. However, he decided to join his hometown club instead on a free transfer.

He has spent the past two seasons with the Blues and has scored 11 goals in 55 games in all competitions. His contract is up at the end of this campaign and he is currently due to become a free agent again.

Deeney, 34, has been offered an extension by Birmingham. However, he is yet to decide what to do next at this stage.

Speaking on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast, he has said: “There’s an offer there. But I’m just seeing how it looks. It’s not about the money. Is there a coaching role there? They want me to do coaching but the project has to be right. When I parted ways at Watford, there were options to go to Celtic, Middlesbrough, abroad or Birmingham.

“Birmingham was the least attractive in terms of what it was. And it wasn’t everything that was sold at the start. But now I understand the dynamics of it.

“It’s going to be more about time than money. It’s a question of ‘do you want to invest more time?’ or do you go ‘thanks, but no thanks’ and move on to pastures new?”

Birmingham are 17th in the Championship table and have nothing to play for for their remaining two games this term. Deeney injects useful experience into John Eustace’s youthful squad but his future is up in the air at the moment.

Prior to his switch back to the Midlands, he spent 11 years at Watford and fired 140 goals in 419 appearances altogether for the Hornets. He has also had stints at Chelmsley Town and Walsall int he past.