Birmingham City transfer deadline day: Blues sanction striker loan move

The striker leaves having struggled to adapt to the Championship and with just three goals in 25 first team appearances

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Alvaro Gimenez has left Birmingham City to return to Spain.

The Blues striker has joined Segunda Division leaders Cadiz on loan for the rest of the season - with a view towards a permanent deal in the summer.

He does so having struggled to adapt to the Championship and with just three goals in 25 first team appearances.

All of which represents a meagre return on the €1.5million Blues paid Almeria for him in the summer.

The 28-year-old arrived on the back of the most successful season of his career, in which he scored 20 goals and ended up as the second tier’s top scorer.

He started off promisingly at Blues, scoring a neat chipped goal on his home debut in the 2-0 win over Barnsley.

He also produced a neat finish in the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday but became less and less of an impact off the bench.

Indeed head coach Pep Clotet used him sparingly in recent weeks, giving him just 69 minutes Championship football since his last start on December 14.

Gimenez’s departure once again stretches Blues’ striking options, with Scott Hogan brought in on loan to support target man Lukas Jutkiewicz.

He is the third of Blues’ Spanish summer signings to return to Spain at the first opportunity after Fran Villalba moved to Gimenez’s former club Almeria and little-used midfielder Agus Medina went back to UE Cornella.