Fully agreed: Birmingham City finalise deal for 'unbeatable' £500k-rated star
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Birmingham will complete the signing of South Korea international defender Lee Myung-jae on a free transfer before tonight’s deadline.
Birmingham World understands Myung-jae, currently a free agent, is on track to become a Blues player this evening after passing a medical at the Birmingham City Elite Performance and Innovation Centre. Media duties await the Seoul native, who will be announced later today after agreeing terms on a short-term contract.
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Hide AdAn experienced head at 31 years of age, Myung-jae, who can also play at centre-back or in defensive midfield, will provide cover for Alex Cochrane on the left side of defence. Myung-jae, estimated to have a transfer value of £500,000 as per Transfermarkt, only made his debut for South Korea in 2024 but he’s since featured in seven World Cup qualifiers, unbeaten in every match.
Lee Buchanan suffering a serious season-ending injury - just a couple of months on from recovering from another - prompted a need for Blues to add depth at left-back. Myung-jae, who has racked up over 250 career club appearances for the likes of Ulsan Hyundai, Sangju Sangmu and Albirex Niigata, was considered as the best option.
Manager Chris Davies made a hint Birmingham would make a new left-back signing as he admitted last week: “We’ve got a great three months ahead but it’s going to be testing as well. There’s going to be pressure and expectation inside the stadium.
“To be able to deal with that takes strong characters and the experience helps. Some players that are young, it’s not that they are not strong characters, but sometimes they don’t have the wealth of experience to cope with those situations.
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Hide Ad“For me, my gut feeling was that if we were going to bring anyone in at this time of year, I wanted it to be players that were experienced. If they had won a promotion or played plenty of games, that was what I was looking for.”
Birmingham World understands Myung-jae will be the final new addition to the first-team squad in this transfer window. A source close to the club has confirmed there will be no more deadline day incomings at senior level, with Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s loan from Bristol City turning permanent in the summer the only other news of note.
Blues academy product seals loan move
In other Birmingham transfer news, Alfie Chang has completed a six-month loan switch to League Two club Walsall.
The 22-year-old recently made his full return from an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury that kept him sidelined for 17 months. Chang moves to the Bescot Stadium in the hunt for regular first-team minutes.
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Hide AdBirmingham World understands it’s a straight six-month loan deal without an option or obligation to buy for Chang, who has played just the once under Chris Davies so far – for 18 minutes in the recent 2-1 FA Cup third round victory over Lincoln City.
When the midfielder came on in that FA Cup tie, he received a standing ovation from the St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park crowd in recognition of his hard work throughout his long rehabilitation.
Chang has racked up 21 appearances and 1,095 minutes for the senior team so far. Predominantly a defensive midfielder but also capable of playing a little further advanced, the Englishman will be thrilled at the prospect of gaining some proper first-team experience out on loan.
Walsall should be a decent destination, too, as the Saddlers are currently flying at the summit of the League Two standings. Mat Sadler’s side have won 18 of their 28 league outings so far this season, drawing five and losing five.
Possibly adding a title and promotion to the CV - as well as being part of such a confident dressing room - should do Chang the world of good.
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