Scott to Hog City limelight
BIRMINGHAM CITY can strike a permanent deal for Scott Hogan this summer.
The forward, who is on loan from rivals Aston Villa, can make the switch to the Blues at the end of the current campaign.
Hogan scored yesterday in a 3-1 loss to Reading, and has quickly found his feet at St Andrew’s after being discarded at Villa Park.
He has thrived alongside targetman Lukas Jutkiewicz, bagging seven goals in his first nine games for Pep Clotet’s side.
The Ireland international arrived in January following a barren loan spell at fellow Championship side Stoke
City, where he only found the net twice during the early part of the campaign.
He scored on his debut against Nottingham Forest and has not stopped since, immediately endearing himself to the Blues’ faithful.
Hogan’s £50,000-a-week Premier League wages are not all being met by Birmingham, who are paying a portion of his salary.
But there is the possibility of a deal after the club negotiated a release clause with Villa during the January window.
Hogan has 18 months left on his contract with his parent club.
But it is likely that they will just be happy to clear the liability of his £2.5million wages off their books in the summer, with any transfer fee going to the player in lieu of the final year of his salary.
That will enable Birmingham to negotiate their own deal with the striker who has made himself a fans’ favourite and very much at home on the other side of the Second City.