Alex Pritchard: Birmingham City sign Sunderland midfielder for undisclosed fee

Alex Pritchard was twice on the winning side for Tony Mowbray's Sunderland against Birmingham last season

Birmingham have signed midfielder Alex Pritchard from fellow Championship side Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old midfielder will be reunited with his former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Pritchard, who becomes Birmingham's third signing of the window, told Sunderland last week he wanted a move.

He follows the signings of midfielders Andre Dozzell, from QPR, and South Korea international Paik Seung-ho.

Blues are 20th in the Championship, 13 places but only 11 points behind Sunderland.

If he plays this weekend against West Bromwich Albion, Pritchard will be up against one of his eight former clubs.

He made two Premier League loan appearances for Albion in 2016, each time coming off the bench to replace Craig Gardner, who is now Birmingham's technical director - and arranged the transfer.

The end of Pritchard's time on Wearside

After being signed by then Sunderland boss Lee Johnson in July 2021, Pritchard scored nine goals in 115 games for the Wearsiders.

He helped them gain promotion from League One under Alex Neil in 2022, and they then reached last season's Championship play-offs under Mowbray, but his contract was due to expire this summer.

The Wearsiders issued a statement on Saturday saying: "On Friday morning, Alex Pritchard informed the club that he was no longer available for selection. He also expressed his desire to leave with immediate effect."

Former Tottenham Hotspur trainee Pritchard has so far made 344 career appearances, having making his professional debut in February 2013 while on loan at Peterborough United.

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