The Blues need to address their goalkeeping department, and Ethan Horvath could be a good fit for them.
The goalkeeping position may need to be addressed by Birmingham City in the upcoming transfer window.
Their current starting goalkeepers are Zach Jeacock, Neil Etheridge, and John Ruddy, which isn’t a bad group at this level.
Even though Jeacock is new, he has already made an appearance for the Blues’ first squad, and Etheridge has a ton of championship experience.
Considering their current state in this area, it doesn’t appear like it needs to be strengthened anytime soon. One could argue that the latter is simply too talented to be a backup keeper at this level.
Why do Birmingham City need to address their goalkeeping area?
They may be in good shape in the goalkeeping area right now – but it doesn’t mean that will be the case next summer.
Ruddy, Etheridge and Jeacock all see their contracts expire in 2024 and all of them could potentially leave for different reasons.
Ruddy isn’t exactly one for the future and Wayne Rooney or his potential successor may want to invest in a younger stopper who can be a longer-term number one.
But the ex-Norwich City man has done reasonably well during his time at St Andrew’s – and it would probably be harsh to release him if he continues to keep performing. Age shouldn’t come into it.
Etheridge, meanwhile, will probably depart even if he’s offered a new contract because he will surely want to be playing as regularly as possible.
And the Philippines international is believed to be on around £23,000-per-week, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Blues offload him voluntarily when his contract ends.
Jeacock, meanwhile, hasn’t played enough for the club to earn himself a new deal, so a new keeper or two will definitely be needed when the summer window comes along.
But it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of Etheridge or Jeacock depart in January if a suitable permanent or loan offer comes in, and the links to Jack Butland suggest new shot-stopper could be on Rooney’s list for January.
Which Nottingham Forest player should Birmingham City be looking to recruit?
Considering both Nottingham Forest and Blues are both in the Midlands, St Andrew’s could be an attractive destination for players who aren’t getting a chance at the City Ground.
With Matt Turner, Wayne Hennessey and Odysseas Vlachodimos available as goalkeeping options for Steve Cooper, Ethan Horvath has been left out of Forest’s squad and that’s a cruel blow to the American.
Not only did the latter play a small part in Forest’s promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2021/22 season, but he was also involved in another promotion-winning campaign with Luton Town last term and did very well at Kenilworth Road.
He may have made the odd mistake – but the vast majority of keepers do and he can be proud of his contribution to the Hatters’ cause.
Unfortunately for him, he will probably need to seal a move away from his current side if he wants to have any chance of playing regularly during the 2023/24 season.
The American could be a great option for Blues and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, he could be recruited for a very modest fee in January.
Birmingham should have a decent amount to spend in January considering the revenue they generated in the summer, but they will also be mindful of financial rules and this is why picking up Horvath for a small fee would be a real bonus for them.
The goalie may be able to instill a winning mentality at St Andrew’s because he has gained a great deal of experience at this level and has even won promotions.
Additionally, at 28, he has plenty of years left in his career and is old enough to claim a starting berth in the Midlands, making him a great long-term option for Blues.
Butland, who was previously connected to Birmingham, would likely be expensive to sign because his Rangers deal doesn’t expire until 2027. Furthermore, Horvath can be a far more economical choice.
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