Birmingham City needs to aim higher when it comes to acquiring a new goalkeeper.

The first player rumored to be linked with a potential move to Birmingham City is Aynsley Pears, the current goalkeeper for Blackburn Rovers. Pears is familiar to Birmingham manager Tony Mowbray, which adds credibility to the speculation.

While Birmingham was anticipated to be active in the January transfer window following the departure of Wayne Rooney, no significant signings materialized during that period. However, with new ownership in place, there is anticipation for substantial changes in the summer, as Mowbray aims to shape the team according to his vision.

Prioritizing the retention of their Championship status remains paramount for the club before shifting focus to summer transfer plans. Nevertheless, if their league objectives are achieved, Birmingham could become significant investors during the upcoming transfer window.

Given the anticipated squad overhaul, particularly in the goalkeeping department, Pears could emerge as a target for Birmingham City as they seek to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

Birmingham City is considering Aynsley Pears

Journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Birmingham City intends to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer, with Aynsley Pears of Blackburn being a possible candidate.

Due to the summer contract expiration of current options Neil Etheridge and John Ruddy, the Blues are anticipated to search for a new goalkeeper.

Therefore, depending on what transpires with both Ruddy and Etheridge, the club may decide to make signing a new goalkeeper their main priority.

Nixon claims Pears is a player Birmingham is now considering, as Mowbray signed him for Blackburn in 2020 after seeing him play for Middlesbrough.

The article also claims that, despite the 25-year-old being the team’s first option in goal right now, the Lancashire team would consider selling the goalie if the right offer came in.

It’s understandable why Mowbray may be interested in signing Pears, given their previous association. However, Pears’ time at Blackburn under Mowbray wasn’t particularly successful, as he had limited opportunities to play for the club, especially during Mowbray’s tenure.

Initially brought in as a backup option, Pears made only nine appearances for Blackburn across various competitions in his first two seasons at the club. However, he saw more regular action under Jon Dahl Tomasson last season, eventually establishing himself as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Despite missing some matches due to injury this season, Pears has reclaimed his starting position upon returning to full fitness. He has started nearly every game he’s been available for this campaign, registering two clean sheets. According to SofaScore.com, Pears has made an average of 3.3 saves per game, which accounts for 67% of his total of 52 saves this season. However, he’s also conceding an average of 1.6 goals per game, having conceded a total of 26 goals so far.

Pears currently has a goal-preventive stat of -3.55, indicating a relatively solid performance in terms of preventing goals. Additionally, he has been effective in penalty situations, saving one out of the two penalties he has faced. Moreover, Pears has shown accuracy in his passing, averaging a pass accuracy rate of 69% per game and even contributing 0.1 key passes per game, according to SofaScore.com.

While Pears has performed well since becoming Blackburn’s first-choice goalkeeper last season, Birmingham’s anticipated ambition in the upcoming summer transfer window suggests they may target a higher-profile goalkeeper. While Pears has proven himself to be a competent goalkeeper at this level, Birmingham may have the resources to aim for a higher-caliber option.

Considering Mowbray’s decision not to utilize Pears during his tenure at Ewood Park, it might seem imprudent to pursue a player who wasn’t favored at a previous club.