'Done deal' - Birmingham City complete signing of £3.3m superstar defender

Birmingham are set to complete the signing of Phil Neumann from Hannover 96 after reportedly finalising terms with the German Bundesliga 2 outfit.

Chris Davies has been delighted with the progress shown this season but he’s been wanting to bolster his central defensive options well ahead of the expected return to the Championship. Blues failed with a €4 million (£3.4m) approach in the summer for Neumann - the number one target - but have been patient and are finally set to secure their man.

The Mirror reports Neumann’s transfer is “done and should be announced very shortly”. It awaits to be seen just how much the centre-half will cost but his contract at Hannover was due to expire in June, so it’s likely the fee will be less than what was offered a few months ago.

Neumann has been a powerhouse for German second-tier club Hannover ever since signing from Holstein Keil in 2022, making 81 appearances in his two and a half years to date. Capable of playing at centre-half, right-back or even defensive midfield, the 27-year-old could offer Blues great versatility.

Hannover are currently seventh in Bundesliga 2 but sit just four points away from league leaders Koln, so Neumann has swapped a potential promotion or title in Germany in favour of one in England.

The arrival of Neumann could spell the end of Dion Sanderson’s career at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park. The ex-skipper has already fallen to fourth in the centre-back pecking order and he’d only become more dispensable if he dropped to fifth.

Davies’ preference is new captain Krystian Bielik at right-back with Christoph Klarer alongside Rangers loanee Ben Davies in the centre. Sanderson has played just 328 minutes across all competitions this term and his game time will only decrease further now.

As Neumann is comfortable playing as an inverted full-back, his arrival could perhaps allow Bielik to move back into the centre next to Klarer. It would be harsh to bench Davies but the former Preston North End man is only on loan from Rangers and the priority is to develop those contracted permanently.

Birmingham move fulfils Phil Neumann’s dream

Getting the Neumann transfer over the line is not only an achievement for Birmingham but also for the player. German top-tier clubs Borussia Monchengladbach, Augsburg and Union Berlin have all shown an interest in Neumann, described by Bild as one of the best defenders in Bundesliga 2, but he’s always been prioritising a move to England instead.

"Playing in England was always my goal," Neumann told the Neu Presse. "When you have a family, you naturally look further into the future and of course, contract negotiations also involve financial aspects, but it's about much more than that - in the end, it's a total package. Accordingly, I wouldn't go to Saudi Arabia because that's where the most money is. I do have the ambition to get the best possible results in football as well."