Birmingham City strike agreement for £2.1m-rated former Swansea City and QPR ace
A new deal has been announced by Birmingham City, securing a player’s services for several years.
Birmingham City have announced Ethan Laird has put pen to paper on a contract extension, keeping the right-back at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park until June 2028.
The 23-year-old, signed from Manchester United last summer for a bargain fee of just £750,000, has enjoyed an excellent first 12 months with Blues. Relegation from the Championship to League One obviously wasn’t on the wish list but on a personal level he has fitted in superbly.
Laird has already racked up 32 appearances for Birmingham, taking him to within two matches of his highest tally at a single club. The former Red Devil featured 33 times on loan at Queens Park Rangers, while he donned the white of Swansea City on 21 occasions - also during a loan spell.
Reacting to signing his new deal, Laird told BluesTV: “I am buzzing! Everyone knows the direction where this club is going, and I am buzzing that the board see me fit to be a part of it – and long may it continue.”
Currently out injured with an ankle injury, Laird is working hard to return to full fitness so he can help Birmingham with their League One promotion push. Laird was Chris Davies’ preferred choice at right-back before his lay-off but it could be tricky to come straight back in as Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Alfons Sampsted have impressed in the mean time.
Laird, formerly an England youth international at under-17, under-18 and under-19 level, has a current market value of €2.5 million (£2.1 million) as per Transfermarkt.