A Birmingham City youngster is attracting attention from abroad after a breakthrough season with the under-21s
A general view of St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park
A general view of St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park
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Birmingham City starlet Aurelien Guernier is attracting plenty of interest and could depart St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park this summer.
The 18-year-old forward was a stand-out player for Blues’ under-21s last season and is coming to the end of his scholarship. Blues have offered professional terms to seven second-year scholars.
He started last season with the under-18s before making the jump to the under-21s and he scored three goals in 15 games for a team that struggled in Premier League 2.
Guernier was rewarded for his fine form for the second string with a place on the first team’s bench when Blues defeated Queens Park Rangers 1-0 in March.
However, there are doubts over whether Guernier will turn professional with Blues with rumours surfacing in recent days of interest from elsewhere.
The teenager holds dual British and French citizenship and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg have been named as one of the interested clubs by L’Equipe.
Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, the American consortium which controls Chelsea, and have a tendency to steal young English talent.
L’Equipe report that Guernier has been offered to Strasbourg and that the club which finished eighth in last season’s Ligue 1 is interested in signing the Blues academy product.
If Guernier transfers overseas before committing to a professional contract, Blues would only be entitled to training compensation.