George Friend: Birmingham City sign Middlesbrough defender on free transfer
- Published
George Friend played under new Blues boss Aitor Karanka at Middlesbrough
George Friend has joined Birmingham City on a free transfer after rejecting a contract offer to stay at fellow second-tier Middlesbrough.
Friend, 32, will be reunited with ex-Boro boss Aitor Karanka and is the Spaniard's first signing.
The left-back or centre-back has agreed a two-year contract with the option of a year’s extension at St Andrew’s.
Friend was part of the Middlesbrough side that won promotion from the Championship under Karanka in 2016.
He captained Boro in all nine of their Championship fixtures when the season resumed in June and helped guide the club to safety.
His departure from the Riverside Stadium brings to an end an eight-year association with the club, during which he made just shy of 300 appearances after joining from Doncaster Rovers in July 2012.