Koby Arthur: Birmingham City midfielder signs new Blues deal

Koby Arthur scored four times in eight games on loan to Cheltenham Town at the start of last season

Birmingham City teenager Koby Arthur has signed a new two-year contract with the Championship club.

The 19-year-old Ghanaian midfielder is now tied to Blues until June 2017.

Arthur, who began last season on loan at League Two side Cheltenham Town, started Gary Rowett's first three matches when he became boss in October.

But he has figured just twice more since, in the 1-0 defeat at Blackpool in December and in the 3-2 FA Cup third round win at Blyth Spartans.

Blues boss Rowett, who has so far brought in striker Alex Jones, midfielder Jacques Maghoma and goalkeeper Adam Legzdins, is still hopeful of further new acquisitions.

"We've identified a number of players and spoken to them, and I am still speaking to some," he told the club website. "There's a chance some say 'no', but there's every chance they say 'yes'.

"There is a lot of competition out there. Sometimes you must be prepared to wait. If we can get our targets in place before we begin, I'll be happy.

"You have to be persistent, you have to persevere. If I told you my mobile bill for the last month was £700 for just making calls and working on doing various things, then I think you'd get the idea."