ALEX PRITCHARD has completed his move from Sunderland to Birmingham City after agreeing a two-and-a-half-year deal at St. Andrew’s in what sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has described as a ‘suitable conclusion’ for all parties.
Pritchard will link back up with former Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray in the Midlands after reaching an impasse over his contract situation at the Stadium of Light before completing a move to Sunderland’s Championship rivals.
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was left frustrated with the club’s hierarchy after failing to agree terms over a new longer-term contract on Wearside. Pritchard, 30, was keen to ensure his long-term security with a deal that mirrored his perceived value to the club with a multi-year deal.
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Sunderland’s sporting director Speakman confirmed recently that Pritchard had been offered an extension to his current deal which is understood to have been a one-year agreement on similar terms with a view to potentially extending that deal by another year thereafter. It was a move which felt derisory to Pritchard and his representatives with the midfielder going on to declare himself unavailable for Michael Beale’s squad to face Stoke City last weekend.
The club confirmed Pritchard had expressed a desire to leave Sunderland, with the midfielder the subject of interest both domestically and in Europe with Turkish Super Lig side Sivasspor. Mowbray, however, kept his cards close to his chest when asked about a reunion with Pritchard over the weekend following their FA Cup fourth round defeat to Leicester City.
"Let Sunderland get on with their business and wait and see what happens in the next five days," he said after Birmingham's defeat to Leicester City in the FA Cup.
"What I do know is Alex Pritchard is a player with personality and character, wonderful ball manipulation and great dead ball skills. We will wait and see how it develops. He is not our player, he is somebody I shouldn’t be talking about I suppose, but we will see how things develop over the next four or five days.”
But Pritchard, who was into the final six months of his contract at the Stadium of Light, and Mowbray have now reunited after the 30-year-old completed a medical at St. Andrew’s on Wednesday. Pritchard has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Birmingham for an undisclosed fee.
Speaking to BluesTV, Pritchard expressed his satisfaction at getting the deal done.
“I am happy. My future has been well speculated for a while now and I am just glad to get everything done and just settled and, hopefully, I can just crack on with football.”
And those are thoughts shared by Sunderland chief, Speakman, who has thanked Pritchard for his contribution in red and white over the course of the last two-and-a-half-years.
Speakman said: “First and foremost, we thank Alex for the contribution he has made to Sunderland AFC. He played an important role in our promotion from League One and has been a prominent member of our squad in the Championship, and I’m sure he will be fondly remembered by our supporters.
“Transfer windows are challenging periods for all involved, so we are pleased to have reached a suitable conclusion for the Club and Alex, who leaves with our best wishes.”
A club statement continued: “Pritchard made a total of 115 appearances in red and white, during which time he contributed nine goals and 25 assists.
“The 30-year-old also played an important role in the Club’s promotion to the Sky Bet Championship in 2022, and all at SAFC wish Alex the best of luck for the future.”
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