Birmingham City have set their sights on Groningen’s Eredivisie starlet Bjorn Meijer and, according to Voetbal International, will attempt to bring the defender to the Championship during the January transfer window.
Lee Bowyer’s track record when it comes to developing and blooding exciting young talent has been very well documented.
But with reports coming out of Holland suggesting that Birmingham have set their sights on a Netherlands U19 international with the winter window just five weeks away, it is worth reiterating.
During his time at Charlton Athletic, Bowyer helped turn Karlan Grant and Joe Aribo into two of the most exciting up-and-coming prospects in England’s third tier.
Grant would join West Bromwich Albion for a cool £15 million a few years later while Aribo started as Rangers defeated Czech giants Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Marcel Oakley and Jordan James, meanwhile, have been handed first-team debuts by Bowyer at Birmingham in recent weeks.
And, according to The Mail, 17-year-old George Hall opted to stay put rather than jump ship to Leeds United, Newcastle or Southampton after being convinced that opportunities will come his way at St Andrews.
Is Kristian Pedersen leaving Birmingham City for Newcastle United?
It remains to be seen whether Meijer joins Hall, James and co in England’s Second City.
According to Voetbal International, Birmingham scouted Meijer during Holland’s U19 European Championship qualification clashes with Cyprus and Moldova. The Blues, it is understood, were ‘very impressed’ by the teenager’s performances.
Groningnen’s technical director Mark-Jan Fledderus insists that Birmingham have not yet made an approach for Meijer but that is expected to change in the coming weeks.
A talented and technically-gifted left-back, Meijer could perhaps be seen as a long-term replacement for Kristian Pedersen at St Andrews.
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