Defender sets up Birmingham City reunion as he agrees free transfer

Birmingham City academy product Geraldo Bajrami has completed a move to League One side Burton Albion this week - and that tees the centre half up for a reunion with the club who accommodated him at academy level.

Bajrami, 24, hails from Quinton and came through the Blues academy. He was offered his first professional contract in 2018 and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign of sorts in the first-team under Pep Clotet in 2019-20. Bajrami played in the 3-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion and the 3-0 loss to Hull City in December 2019 before being loaned out to Solihull Moors.

Upon the expiry of his Blues contract in 2021, Bajrami - a former Albanian under 21 international - signed for Kidderminster Harriers and he excelled, playing 42 times in the National League North and securing an eye-catching move up the league pyramid to Notts County in 2022. Bajrami also played regularly for the Magpies as they secured promotion back to the EFL.

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Disaster struck last summer, though; 11 minutes into their EFL Cup game against Lincoln City last August, the centre half suffered a serious knee injury and it ruled him out for the entirety of what ought to have been his first extended crack at first-team football in the Football League.

Bajrami was offered a new deal to remain at Meadow Lane, but he instead has chosen to move on and has been able to secure a move higher up the ladder - still in the Midlands, but at the Pirelli Stadium.

“It’s a good project to be a part of. The owners explained why they’ve picked Burton Albion, why they’ve invested in it, the playing style that they want to play, the type of players that they want to bring in, and it excited me – that’s why I’m here today," Bajrami said. “Burton are a league higher than Notts County and I want to play as high as I can, as soon as I can. I want to challenge myself and I want to be part of what’s happening at this club.”

Blues will discover when they will face Bajrami and Burton when the fixture list is released on Wednesday 26 June.