Birmingham City and Sunderland target 'will sign contract' next week as travel prepared

Birmingham City are expected to complete the signing of South Korea international Paik Seung-ho next week, despite a hijack attempt from Sky Bet Championship rivals Sunderland.

Sports Donga, via Korea Football News, reports Seung-ho, who came from the Barcelona academy before spells at Peralada, Girona and Darmstadt, will travel to Birmingham next week. Pending a medical and the signing of a contract, Seung-ho will therefore become Tony Mowbray's second addition of the January transfer window.

Currently at Jeonbuk Hyundai in his home nation, Seung-ho has scored 11 and assisted a further eight across 106 appearances since 2021. Able to play absolutely anywhere in midfield, the 26-year-old is set to offer Mowbray plenty of room for manouevre.

Clubs in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, as well as Sunderland, made offers to Seung-ho but the player has decided to join Birmingham instead. The project is said to have been very convincing for the 15-time South Korea international, who scored against Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.