The £4m Birmingham City lightning attacker signing who could take the Championship by storm

Birmingham City have reportedly enquired about signing NEC Nijmegen attacker Sontje Hansen this summer.

Blues boss Chris Davies is eager to bring in at least one new versatile forward ahead of the club’s return to the Championship. Birmingham are targeting the play-offs right away and want to ensure they have the necessary depth and quality up top to compete.

Hansen, a lightning fast winger who signed for Nijmegen from Ajax on a free transfer in 2023, has been a regular starter ever since his arrival. The Netherlands Under-21 international scored six goals and provided four assists in 31 Eredivisie matches last season, gaining widespread transfer interest.

Sky Sports News reports Birmingham have expressed an interest in signing Hansen but face competition from a host of other clubs. Burnley saw a loan bid with an obligation to buy for £3.5 million knocked back in the winter and, while the Clarets moved onto alternative targets back then, they could decide to reignite their interest.

Although Hansen played predominantly as a right winger for Nijmegen last season, he’s more than capable of playing on the opposite side or even through the centre. Including appearances in Ajax’s youth ranks, Hansen has played 93 times as a right winger, 70 times as a left winger, 36 times as a centre-forward and 13 times as an attacking midfielder.

Davies appreciates versatility and Hansen, flexible and capable of being fielded in an array of roles under varied circumstances, would offer that. Blues would likely have to invest a little in excess of the £3.5 million offer Burnley saw rejected six months ago if they are to land Hansen, however, which represents a big risk.

That said, the transfer budget is expected to be fairly sizeable again this summer as Blues are among the top clubs in the Championship for projected revenue next season. Sunderland’s imminent £32 million sale of former Blues midfielder Jobe Bellingham will secure a further £4.35 million, too, due to the 15 per cent sell-on clause included in his sale two years ago.

Hansson out, Hansen in?

It took a brilliant team effort for Birmingham to achieve their remarkable world record 111-point tally in League One last season but some players are likely to depart in the aftermath, as brutal as that may appear. One who could be set for the exit door if Hansen joins is he of a similar name — Emil Hansson.

Signed from Heracles Almelo for around £1.5 million last summer, Hansson was meant to be one of Birmingham’s star forwards. The Swede had scored six goals in his debut Eredivisie season and looked set for big things, however he only netted one League One goal in merely 917 minutes of action last term.

Hansson could yet remain a Blues player but he’s highly unlikely to be a regular starter as he was behind the likes of Keshi Anderson, Willum Willumsson and Scott Wright in the pecking order and will be gazumped further by new signings. Selling Hansson could make sense so Blues can reclaim some of his transfer fee and the winger can search for more guaranteed minutes elsewhere.