Birmingham City eye Josh Maja during January transfer window as they chase promotion

ENGLISH Championship side Birmingham City has stepped up plans to sign Super Eagles striker Josh Maja from French side Bordeaux during the forthcoming January transfer window as the club pushes for promotion next season.

Currently sitting in mid table, Birmingham are hoping to make the Championship play-offs as the club seeks promotion back to the English Premier League. Maja has subsequently been named among the possible transfer targets by the club as it continues to struggle with goals this season.

So far, things are not going according to plan for Birmingham City with the Blues stuck in 14th position on the Championship table. Birmingham City have been solid in defence conceding only 20 goals and boasting the fourth-best defensive record in the division but in attack, the side has struggled, managing only 23 goals in 22 matches.

Striker Scott Hogan, 30, has shouldered most of the Blues’ scoring burden, along with Nigeria-eligible team mate Chuba Akpom. In the Birmingham squad, only Troy Deeney, 34 and American defender Auston Levi-Jesaiah Trusty have scored more than once, finding the back of the net thrice so far this season.

A new goalscoring striker is needed and Maja is seen as the ideal man, given that he is experiencing a pleasant resurgence in France. A former Sunderland ace, Maja, 24, has had a hand in 10 league goals this season, scoring seven times and providing three assists for Bordeaux.

He was set to join Birmingham in the summer but the deal hit the rocks at the last minute when all parties seemed ready to sign a deal. Maja has a lot of experience of England as he has also played in the Premier League with Fulham.