Birmingham City fans should expect Lukas Jutkiewicz to leave when his contract expires this summer.
Birmingham City are embroiled in a relegation battle that fans did not expect in the early stages of the season, and while they may be relying on Lukas Jutkiewicz to keep them in the second tier, his time at St. Andrew’s could come to an end bitterly.
Jutkiewicz joined the Blues in 2017 following a successful loan spell in the West Midlands, where he scored eight league goals in just 20 Championship appearances, before becoming a permanent part of the squad halfway through the season in a £1 million move from Burnley. It’s been one of the club’s smarter moves in the previous decade, despite the tragedies that have occurred; and Jutkiewicz has subsequently become a cult hero in the Second City.
Jutkiewicz has 63 league goals in 312 league appearances for the Blues, and while the goals have dried up near the end of his time at St. Andrews, where he has played under no fewer than 11 permanent managers and 16 bosses in total, including interims and caretakers, he remains a valuable member of their squad. However, he is expected to leave in the summer, and Blues supporters should prepare for a sad conclusion.
Why Birmingham City fans should brace themselves for a sad player announcement
Jutkiewicz’s contract ends at the end of the season, with his final extension coming in April 2021. Since then, he has not been at his most productive, scoring only 10 league goals since the start of the 2021/22 season.
As a result, regardless of which tier Birmingham plays in as they continue to fight for their Championship status, it appears like the forward will leave in the summer.
He’s supplied numerous critical moments, most notably 14 and 15 goals in the Championship in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively, which saw the Blues crowd embrace him as one of their own as they finished comfortably in mid-table.
Jutkiewicz is the club’s longest-serving player, edging Marc Roberts by six months after joining permanently in the January 2017 window – and the club has gone through ups and downs with him, including scoring the opener against Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Midlands derby. And, like many other stalwarts who run out their contracts before leaving on a positive note, fans will be hopeful that his farewell coincides with Championship survival after a topsy-turvy season.
Lukas Jutkiewicz transfer latest
The striker was linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers during the January transfer window, but no such move occurred. With Rovers’ Sam Gallagher also being linked with a transfer away from Ewood Park, this is an intriguing scenario that we may witness in the future.
Given his EFL productivity, you have to believe he will have choices if he moves on, and there is always the possibility that he will prolong his tenure at St Andrews.
However, under new ownership, it appears like his exit could occur this summer, and fans should prepare to say farewell.
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