Birmingham City complete Aston Villa transfer as takeover saga rumbles on

Birmingham City have made their first signing of the transfer window, albeit a player to bolster their Under 23s set-up in the first instance.

Blues have agreed terms with former Aston Villa and West Brom trainee Finley Thorndike, who arrives after a year at Bodymoor Heath in which he made 22 appearances in their Premier League 2 campaign.

Thorndike spent just one season at Villa, having come through the ranks at West Brom where he worked with Villa’s academy manager Mark Harrison. He joined Villa as a free agent after impressing on trial.

Thorndike first went to Albion at Under-8 level, having been spotted by top scout Steve Hopcroft, he came through the age groups at West Brom and even spent time training with the first team before leaving in the summer of 2021.

He came on trial to Blues towards the end of last season and has been handed a two-year contract, plus a year’s option.

Sheffield Wednesday remain keen on Birmingham City defender Harlee Dean, BirminghamLive understands. Dean, who has returned to pre-season training with Blues, spent the second half of last season on loan at Hillsborough.

The centre back endured injuries but played nine times for the Owls last season only for them to fall short in their promotion campaign in the play-off semi-finals against Sunderland. He did so after losing his place in Lee Bowyer’ s side – and being made surplus to requirements after four seasons at St Andrew’s.

Indeed Dean himself felt he would be moving on this summer but watched as Darren Moore made two free transfers in central defence. First Ben Heneghan was signed from AFC Wimbledon, then Michael Ihiekwe made the short journey from Rotherham.

That combined with uncertainty over Blues’ takeover, led to speculation