FLW evaluates Alex Pritchard, who has rejoined Tony Mowbray at Birmingham City, as their newest addition.
Alex Pritchard, a midfielder, has received an offer from Birmingham City to rejoin Tony Mowbray at Sunderland.
The Blues made an offer for the 30-year-old, but it was rejected a few weeks ago, according to Sunderland Nation/Sports Illustrated.
Under new manager Mowbray, a former Sunderland player, Birmingham has been linked to a deal for Pritchard on a regular basis this month.
Journalist Mike McGrath of The Telegraph says that Pritchard has also caught the attention of MLS team Colorado Rapids, and Turkish writer Ertan Süzgün says that Sivasspor has extended an official offer to Pritchard.
As they aim for another top six finish, the Black Cats were hesitant to part with Pritchard this month. Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman disclosed that he was extended under contract.
The latest on Alex Pritchard’s move to Birmingham City
Last week, Alan Nixon stated that since his contract would expire in the summer, they would be content to wait until then to get his signature. However, the same source also said that Birmingham would lose out on him if they didn’t make a bid for him this month because the Black Cats were eager to get rid of him as soon as possible after a transfer request over the weekend.
Tony Mowbray’s team may have moved to sign him for this reason; a £100,000 contract has been agreed upon. A two-and-a-half-year contract has also been agreed to, and according to reports, Pritchard will receive a sizable pay increase as part of it.
He was going through his club’s physical on Wednesday, and in the meanwhile, Sunderland is expected to sign Romaine Mundle to reinforce their assault.
Alex Pritchard’s Birmingham City role
In 25 appearances in all competitions this season, Pritchard has five assists and one goal. Under Michael Beale, he has just regained his spot in the squad after seeing his playing time restricted in the past.
Only eleven of those games have he started, and five of those took place at the Stadium of Light under Mowbray’s direction. But in a multitude of distinct positions.
Many of Sunderland’s attackers have struggled, both in terms of their goal scoring ability and because of injuries that have limited many of their center options, forcing players like Bradley Dack, Jobe Bellingham, and Pritchard to fill in.
Pritchard has started five games as an offensive midfielder, made three appearances up front, and made three more appearances from the right flank. In most of his substitute appearances, he has came on as an advanced central midfielder or number 10.
In Tony Mowbray’s 4-2-3-1 style, players such as Koji Miyoshi and Keshi Anderson are the main contenders for the attacking-midfield position. However, Tyler Roberts, Andre Dozzell, and Juninho Bacuna can also be used there; recently, Bacuna has also started games just behind the striker.
Though maybe not always as a starter, Mowbray is more likely to have Pritchard fill that job than many of the individuals mentioned. The manager of Birmingham has also been using Jay Stansfield and other players as right wings, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he made further changes in the upcoming months.
With the arrivals of Dozzell, Seung-ho Paik, and Pritchard, Birmingham’s play is expected to heavily rely on Pritchard’s inventiveness and delivery from set pieces or open-play crosses. However, his best team may not be known for some time.
Although the 30-year-old hasn’t started many games in the past several seasons, he and Mowbray get along well and he provides his former manager with choices and answers in both wide places and attacking midfield. His flare and inventiveness may make all the difference, particularly for a team fighting for relegation.
Pritchard’s eye for a pass makes him a valuable asset to few Championship teams near the bottom of the division. Mowbray and these teams will be hoping that Pritchard can stay healthy for the second half of the season, as he had numerous injuries during his three-year stay with Huddersfield.
