Birmingham City see transfer bid rejected for QPR star - Leicester City also interested

Birmingham City have seen a transfer bid rejected for QPR midfielder Ilias Chair, according to a report.

Darren Witcoop, a former Sports Content Editor for the Sunday Mirror revealed in a post on X that Blues saw a bid turned down last week. Birmingham aren't expected to make another offer today, whilst Leicester City are said to have held a long-term interest, but he is to remain at QPR.

Chair is considered one of the best midfielders in the Championship and played for semi-finalists Morocco at the 2022 World Cup. The 26-year-old is under contract at Loftus Road until 2025 but there is an option that the club can extend his stay. QPR are currently involved in a relegation battle and Chair has been a key player for them with five assists and three goals in 27 games.

The playmaker has played 200 times in the Championship with 30 goals and 31 assists and can play as an attacking midfielder as well as on the flanks. He was linked with a move to Leeds United in the summer but that didn't come to anything.

Birmingham and QPR have already done some business this month after Andre Dozzell was loaned out. Tony Mowbray this month has already signed Dozzell, Paik Seung-ho and now Alex Pritchard so a return for Chair seems unlikely at least until the summer when the club can take stock of the situation. Wales international Jordan James is likely to remain at St Andrew's unless Atlanta can meet their £10m valuation - with the Italian club mulling over whether to make a new bid.

One player could leave Birmingham today however and that is striker Josh Andrews, who according to Birmingham Live is being linked with a move to Gillingham. The 22-year-old is currently on loan at Accrington Stanley and has scored five goals in 20 games this season. Gillingham - managed by former Blues midfielder Stephen Clemence - are targetting him on a permanent deal. He is out of contract in the summer and they could part ways with him six months early should the Gills persuade them to terminate the loan.