Birmingham City beat out Huddersfield Town in the race for Charlton Athletic’s Alfie May.
The Blues are reinforcing for a season in League One after their relegation from the Championship last campaign. That season was a huge disappointment, not just for their fall to the third tier but given that they were in the playoff places when they parted ways with John Eustace to appoint Wayne Rooney.
New manager Chris Davies left Tottenham Hotspur as Ange Postecoglou’s assistant to take on the role at St Andrew’s and help restore the club to its former glory days. The fall to the third tier saw an end to almost 30 years spent in the top two divisions for the club.
Birmingham City secure Alfie May signing.
According to Darren Witcoop, Birmingham have secured the signing of the 30-year-old striker from the Addicks. The striker only arrived at the Valley last season from Cheltenham Town, where he won the League Two title and became one of the top strikers in League One.
Cheltenham Town are also set to benefit from the deal after Gloucestershire Live’s Jon Palmer revealed that the Robins were due a sell-on clause as part of the original deal to sell Alfie May to Charlton. Should Huddersfield or Birmingham complete a transfer for May, Cheltenham will be due 15% of profit. Birmingham City tried to sign in the summer of 2022 while they were still a Championship club.
Alfie May at Charlton Athletic.
May joined last summer from a Cheltenham side that finished 16th in League One the season before. The Addicks finished 16th themselves last season when they were expected to push for a promotion campaign. That much would be expected of the club once more this campaign, but that could suffer a major blow if they were to lose May, which looks ever more likely to happen this week.
That position could have left May disappointed in his decision to join the Addicks, given he had been finishing in the bottom half of League One with his previous employers. Not only that, but May joined on a two-year contract, which runs out next summer, possibly leaving his current employers feeling the need to cash in on a striker of his age and stature.
Birmingham City to beat out Huddersfield.
Chris Davies’s side beat out Huddersfield Town for the signing, who appeared to be front runners for the signature of May. On Friday, conflicting reports emerged that Huddersfield had agreed a fee for the striker before it was refuted despite an exit not being far off the table for May.
Despite both being relegated from the Championship last season, Birmingham City hold a far better stance in the transfer market than Huddersfield Town. The Blues are reportedly backed by a transfer budget of £20 million this summer, leaving them far better off than the rest of the division. It would be a huge gamble from the side to get out at the first attempt as spending a large amount could leave them with dire consequences should promotion not be achieved.
