Blues boss admits he can’t afford to gamble on signings
GARRY Monk knows he might have to look at the bigger picture in his bid to strengthen the Birmingham City squad longterm.
English Football League clubs have until Friday to sign players on loan before the transfer window shuts.
Under EFL rules, clubs can sign as many as eight players on loan, but can only include five in a matchday squad.
But Monk, who is still waiting for a first win of the season after Blues let a two-goal lead slip at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, is working under far more onerous constraints.
Blues can only sign one more player, either on loan or as a free transfer, for the rest of the season as part of a directive from the EFL following a breach of Financial Fair Play regulations.
The club is prohibited, under the terms of the agreement, from paying a transfer fee and must also comply with a £10,000-a-week wage cap on any incoming player.
Monk knows he can’t afford speculative punts and might now keep his powder dry until the winter transfer window opens in January.
“You have to remember what we’re looking at and the market we’re in,” he said. “We can’t spend – we have conditions and restrictions on what we can do.
“We have one place and if something fantastic came along then great, but that’s not the market we’re looking in. If something jumps off the page, then there are a few areas to help strengthen.
“So picking one area, we also have to look at things going forward, and we have to give ourselves an option for January as well.
“There are a lot of decisions and we’re looking in a very niche market and in that, it’s very difficult. But we’re continually looking at it and trying to find what’s what, but it’s not easy.”
The EFL imposed restrictions on Blues after the club signed Danish defender Kristian Pedersen from FC Union Berlin for a reported £2.2 million fee.
Since Pedersen’s arrival in July, Monk has signed goalkeeper Lee Camp on a free transfer as well as Gary Gardner, Omar Bogle and Connor Mahoney on loan. Those summer signings have featured prominently in the early weeks of the season and all five played in the 2-2 draw at the City Ground on Saturday.
Blues were denied a maiden victory after goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Che Adams were cancelled out by late strikes from Joe Lolley and Daryl Murphy.
It was yet another game in which the result did not reflect and reward the high level of Blues’ performance.
“That’s probably what we need – play rubbish, score a scrappy goal, an own goal, something like that, and win the game,” Monk added. “But I don’t look at it like that. I look at the performances and what we’re trying to work on.
“When you see it on the pitch being delivered with real intensity and quality, that’s what you’re looking for as a manager.
“That gives you the best buzz. I have been really proud of them and we have to continue like that.”