Exclusive: QPR join Norwich and Championship rivals in transfer race to sign Birmingham City gem

Queens Park Rangers have entered the race to sign Birmingham City midfielder Marc Leonard this January but face competition from a host of Championship rivals, Birmingham World understands.

Leonard, who has not played as often as he would have liked when he first signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2024, has become surplus to requirements at Birmingham. The 24-year-old has played just 685 minutes in the Championship so far this season and it’s understood Blues are now open to letting him go.

This is despite head coach Chris Davies convincing Leonard to stay in the summer, when he first expressed concerns about leaving the club. Davies reassured Leonard that he had a part to play following Blues’ promotion to the Championship, however that part hasn’t been as important as the midfielder expected.

QPR enter Marc Leonard transfer race

Several Championship clubs have expressed an interest in signing Leonard this winter and Birmingham World understands that Queens Park Rangers are among those. The London club were keen on Leonard in the summer before the former Scotland Under-21 international decided to stay in the West Midlands.

QPR, eager to bolster their midfield options, have now reignited that interest. Nothing is advanced at this stage by any means, though preliminary talks have been held between intermediaries. It really depends on what Leonard favours and how Blues see the situation, as there are plenty of options on the table.

One thing that is for sure, Leonard is unlikely to usurp the likes of Paik Seung-ho and Tomoki Iwata to force himself back into Davies’ immediate plans. Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Tommy Doyle is also ahead in the midfield hierarchy, so a move away does make sense.

Writing on the wall for Leonard

Leonard’s exit from St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park has been on the cards for a while, as he has not only recently fallen down head coach Davies’ pecking order. The door is certainly open for the ex-Northampton Town man to leave if the conditions of the deal are sufficient.

As it seems Leonard’s minutes won’t be increasing any time soon, interested parties could offer him an escape route. As Birmingham World has revealed, QPR are keen. But fellow Championship sides Norwich City and Sheffield United are also keeping tabs on Leonard’s situation, according to a report last week from Birmingham Live.

It’s suggested that Leonard is determined to remain in the Championship, and moves to either Loftus Road, Bramall Lane or Carrow Road would offer that assurance, at least for the rest of this season. As Leonard still has two and a half years left on his contract, a loan move is perhaps more likely at this stage.

Birmingham are prepared for Leonard’s exit as a deal has been agreed to sign defensive midfielder Jhon Solis from Girona. The 21-year-old is set to join on a six-month loan deal with an obligation to buy for around £6.9 million, as long as he makes a certain number of appearances before the end of the season.