What next for Tobias Lauritsen and the players Birmingham City didn’t sign last summer
Birmingham City signed 17 players during the summer transfer window in one of the biggest squad transformations the club has undertaken.
Manager Chris Davies and technical director Craig Gardner, along with a whole host of recruitment staff, built a new team to attack this season in League One and Blues have reaped the rewards to sit top of the table at halfway.
But what became of the players Blues didn’t sign? There were a number of players linked with Blues that went elsewhere, and some didn’t move at all. Here, we’ve taken a look at seven players who didn’t get a move to Blues in the summer.
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Mike Eerdhuijzen
‘Dutch Mike’ is a fitting place to start. The left-footed centre-back had one foot through the door at the beginning of July before something scuppered his move.
Eerdhuijzen has responded in the right way to start 17 of Sparta Rotterdam's 19 Eredivisie games this season and it appears to be a matter of time before the 24-year-old lands in England. Plymouth Argyle agreed a deal with Sparta Rotterdam earlier this week for Eerdhuijzen but it now looks as though he won’t be moving to Devon.
Connor Goldson
Goldson never really seemed to be on but Davies would no doubt have been appreciative of the 32-year-old’s qualities. In fact, recent Blues signing Grant Hanley possesses the same leadership and experience that Goldson brings to the table.
Cypriot club Aris Limassol snapped Goldson up and the Wolverhampton-born defender has played 16 times in the league for them. Limassol trail Ivan Sunjic’s new club Pafos in the Cypriot title race.
Max Johnston
Scotland under-21 international Johnston’s name emerged as Blues sought a new right-back to compete with Ethan Laird. Alfons Sampsted eventually took that spot in Blues’ squad and Johnston stayed in Austria with Sturm Graz.
The 21-year-old has played five times in the Champions League this season in a defence that usually includes ex-Blues loanee Emanuel Aiwu. Sturm Graz are top of the Austrian Bundesliga but they are 33rd in the Champions League league phase.
Owen Beck
Over to left-backs and Beck’s name entered the frame after Blues had snared Alex Cochrane from Hearts. With Blues boasting two lefties Beck joined Championship side Blackburn Rovers on loan from Liverpool.
Harrison Burrows
Burrows was a more interesting prospect as it arrived at around the time Blues were negotiating with Hearts over Cochrane. The left-back always appeared likely to join Sheffield United from Peterborough United but the deal was held up and other clubs lurked in the hope of stealing him from the Blades.
Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony commented: "Harrison is coveted by multiple clubs. Three Championship clubs have constantly been bidding for him and one massive League One club really wants him.”
Sheffield United eventually got the deal over the line and Burrows has repaid them with five goals in 25 matches this season.
Ryan Longman
Longman didn’t end up leaving Hull City in the summer and played nine Championship games for them, scoring the winner at Blackburn Rovers on his last appearance. The 24-year-old winger has now joined the League One promotion race by signing for Wrexham.
Tobias Lauritsen
Norwegian striker Lauritsen appeared on Blues’ search for a striker during the summer but Sparta Rotterdam’s demands were not met. Rotterdam wanted €5million (£4.2m) for Lauritsen and the striker stayed at the Eredivisie club.
Lauritsen hasn’t replicated his goal-scoring numbers of 2022/23 and 2023/24 this term, registering just four goals in 18 Eredivisie matches, but he has been playing in a struggling team. The 27-year-old is out of contract in July and able to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs now, leaving the door open for Blues to act on their interest.
