‘Done deal’ - Birmingham City finalise signing of £3.2m ex-Premier League stalwart

Blues are expected to announce the acquisition of Norwich City defender Grant Hanley after reportedly reaching a full agreement with both the club and player.

Chris Davies has been thrilled with the progress displayed by Birmingham this season but he’s been eager to strengthen his defensive options and experience ahead of the expected return to the Championship. Blues have already signed Hannover 96 star Phil Neumann on a pre-contract agreement for the summer but Hanley will have a more instant impact.

Norwich publication The Pink Un reports Hanley has already conducted medical tests with Blues after the Canaries agreed to mutually terminate the final six months of his contract. Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup has been keen to keep Hanley around for his experience and leadership but understands the desire for more regular first-team football.

Hanley has only made one Championship start for the Canaries this season and it was on the opening weekend away at Watford. The likes of Shane Duffy, Callum Doyle and Jose Cordoba have all been ahead of him in the pecking order since

How will Grant Hanley fit in at Birmingham City?

The 33-year-old may take a little while to get up to match sharpness given his lack of minutes this term but he should offer further security for Birmingham at the back. Hanley, formerly of Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United before a £3.2 million transfer to Norwich in 2017, has racked up 79 Premier League appearances throughout his career.

Leaving Norwich as the club’s captain, Hanley has also played 295 times in the Championship to date and he’s never dropped as low as League One. Although unlikely to be a starter for Birmingham due to the strong bond between the likes of Krystian Bielik, Christoph Klarer and Ben Davies, Hanley is an excellent option to see out matches or to rotate in during busy periods.

It’s also superb to have such a powerful voice in the dressing room, not least due to his 59 senior appearances for Scotland. Hanley remains part of the Tartan Army setup and he started all six of the recent UEFA Nations League fixtures, including two matches against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.