EXCLUSIVE: Birmingham City to complete bargain deal for Sunderland midfielder

Sunderland midfielder Alex Pritchard close to exit with Birmingham set to bag a bargain.

Birmingham City are very close to completing a deal to sign Sunderland midfielder Alex Pritchard, Sunderland Nation understands.

The 30-year-old has had a very public falling out with Sunderland, culminating in him refusing to play for the club in the 3-1 win over Stoke last week.

Former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has been quick to make his move to be reunited with Pritchard, with a two-and-a-half year deal all agreed. Pritchard will also get a significant pay rise at St Andrews.

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All that remains is for the two clubs to agree a nominal fee for the midfielder, believed to be around £100,000.

Pritchard had a very positive stay at Sunderland up until this month, arriving for nothing and helping the club out of League One and then into the Championship play-offs.

However, he felt disrespected by the club, with them trying to move him out in the summer alongside other experienced players Lynden Gooch and Danny Baath.

There were no takers, and when Sunderland did eventually offer him a new deal this month it was one which he considered to be no more than a gesture.

It came to a head last week with him taking himself out of the consideration for first team selection.

“On Friday morning, Alex Pritchard informed the club that he was no longer available for selection and he subsequently withdrew from today’s matchday squad,” a Sunderland statement read on Saturday

“The midfielder also expressed his desire to leave SAFC with immediate effect.”

He will now get that desire, with Sunderland’s loss again being Birmingham City’s gain. 

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