£500k Worth Good News For Birmingham City and Brighton Over Sensational Midfielder

Birmingham City have had a busy transfer window as they plan a route back into the Championship and may have just secured their most impressive deal so far with Brighton’s Marc Leonard on the verge of a switch after an agreement was reached between the two clubs. 

The Scottish International has spent the last two seasons on loan at Northampton and has established himself as one of the most talented prospects in the Football League. Should the deal go through, he will undoubtedly be a key player for Chris Davies’ side this season.

Full Scotland Debut Incoming After Impressive Northampton Spell

Having impressed for Brighton at Premier League 2 level, the club sanctioned a loan move for the former Hearts youth player in the summer of 2022. This would be the beginning of what would turn into a two-year loan spell, where the young midfielder missed just one league game over two seasons as Northampton secured automatic promotion from League Two in 2022/23.

Last season, Marc Leonard took his game to another level in the third tier. His all-round game made him a standout among midfield players in League One last season. He ranked in the top ten for successful tackles, second for interceptions and second for accurate short passes per game of all central midfielders with a minimum of 20 appearances, highlighting his exceptional all-round game.

It appeared from his displays early last season that the 22-year-old was primarily a number-six but he has proved that he can play further forward and be a threat in the opposition box, scoring five goals and contributing another six assists to add another dimension to his game.

Leonard has represented Scotland at underage level with his most recent under-21 appearance coming in 2022 and if he can continue to display the type of form that he did for Northampton at Birmingham City, it should only be a matter of months before he is playing for the senior squad.

Birmingham City Squad Taking Shape Ahead of League One Campaign

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that a deal has been struck between the clubs for what is an initial £500,000 plus add-ons and that a medical has been completed. The fee appears to be excellent value for money from Birmingham City’s perspective, although the add-ons are likely to be significant for the Seagulls to let such a talented player leave the club.

The addition of Marc Leonard adds to what is starting to appear like a star-studded squad ahead of the Blues’ push for an instant rebound back into the second tier. They have spent heavily on securing prolific striker Alfie May from Charlton Athletic and goalkeepers Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Ryan Allsop from Burnley and Hull respectively.

They have recruited from abroad, spending significant fees on Hearts left-back Alex Cochrane, winger Emil Hansson from Heracles Almelo, Willum Thór Willumsson from Go Ahead Eagles and defender Christoph Klarer from Darmstadt 98. Klarer was a regular in the Bundesliga last season, making 30 appearances and scoring two goals as Darmstadt suffered relegation. His signing, in particular, is a coup for the Blues at this level.

It is a risky strategy due to the outlay on transfer funds and wages that are being put into securing an instant return to the Championship but the squad is shaping up to be one of the most talented that League One has seen in recent memory. It will be down to the manager to get all of the new expensive signings to gel into his new side.

Despite having a selection of quality midfielders in the squad including Jordan James and Juninho Bacuna in addition to the new arrivals, Leonard would appear to be the first choice as he was one of the standout stars in the division for a side that finished in 14th place.