Bernard Sun made history in 2019 when he became the first Chinese player to sign for Birmingham City
The Chinese player joined the Blues on a two-year free transfer in the summer of 2019. However, he would never play for the first squad and would only play for the U23s.
He trained with the club over the summer of 2019 and was later offered a contract under Pep Clotet’s management.
Bernard Sun, who are you?
Sun was born in Beijing but relocated with his family to Koblenz, Germany, when he was seven years old.
He rose through the ranks of Kaiserslautern before joining Eisbachtal, another German team. The Chinese young international then relocated to Spain, where he played for the second string of Estudiantes de Mercia.
Sun was then subsequently loaned to Segunda División side Gimnastic de Tarragona in January 2019 and was said to be attracting the interest of Chinese Super League sides before moving to the West Midlands, according to the Birmingham Mail.
On signing, he told Birmingham City’s social media team, “I am very proud to be here, and I wish I could have a great time.
“I try to give everything in training and on the pitch to help my teammates win the game and improve. I’m an attacking midfielder; I like to create and control the game.
“It’s a very good level here; it’s quite difficult compared to what I’ve played before; it’s physical, and they play with a high tempo.
“Playing in England is a dream for everybody who plays football. To play in the Championship and even the Premier League would be my greatest achievement.
Sun’s signing generated huge skepticism among the Blues’ fans as the club was Hong Kong-owned. His signing still baffles some supporters to this day, with Sun never kicking a ball for the first team and playing a bit-part role with the club’s U23 side.
What happened to Bernard Sun?
Sun departed St. Andrew’s in 2021 upon the expiration of his contract, and despite never playing a first-team game, he seemed a popular figure amongst teammates.
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On departure, Sun said, “After two unfortunate seasons, I will be leaving the club. I would like to thank all my teammates with whom I was on and off the pitch every day.
“All the best for the final game! A special thanks from the bottom of my heart goes to all fans, although I couldn’t fulfill your expectations.
“Your Sonny KRO.”
On departure from Birmingham, Sun joined German outfit Türk Gükü Freidberg in the Hessenliga, the 5th tier of German football. He left the club in the summer of 2022, where he signed for FC Rot-Weib Koblenz in the Regionalliga Südwest, the 4th tier of German football.
It’s fair to say that Sun’s career since leaving St. Andrew’s has been underwhelming at best, only continuing to beg the question of why, on earth, Birmingham City signed Sun in the first place.
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