Birmingham City close to signing August Priske in January transfer window

Birmingham City close to signing August Priske in January transfer window
Credit: Getty Images

Birmingham (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 19, 2026 – Birmingham City have reached a £6m agreement with Swedish top-flight club Djurgardens to sign 21-year-old Danish striker August Priske. The Blues are also close to securing a six-month loan deal for 21-year-old winger Ibrahim Osman from Brighton & Hove Albion. These moves come as Birmingham strengthen their squad during the January transfer window in the EFL Championship.

Birmingham City are advancing towards bolstering their attacking options with two high-profile signings in the ongoing January transfer window. Reports from multiple outlets confirm the club has finalised a £6 million deal for Danish forward August Priske from Djurgardens IF, marking a significant investment in young talent. Concurrently, negotiations have progressed for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Ibrahim Osman to join on loan until the end of the season.

Birmingham City Secure £6m Agreement for August Priske Transfer

Birmingham City Secure £6m Agreement for August Priske Transfer
Credit: Jonathan Näckstrand/Bildbyrån

The agreement for Priske was first revealed through Scandinavian football reporting. As detailed by Tipsbladet, a Danish sports news outlet, Djurgardens have accepted a £6m bid from Birmingham for the 21-year-old striker. Tipsbladet’s coverage, published on January 19, 2026, states that the transfer is in its final stages, with Priske set to move to St Andrew’s.

Social media updates from football accounts have provided further real-time developments on the deal’s progress. Sport Witness shared an update confirming advanced stages.

Sport Witness – @Sport_Witness said in X post,

“🇩🇰🇸🇪✔️ August Priske | Birmingham City offer accepted ✈️ Player travelling to England today 🩺 Medical on the way ➡️ Fee €7-9m depending on source https://sportwitness.co.uk/birmingham-citys-bid-for-signing-accepted-player-travelling-to-england-today/ #bcfc”.


August Priske, born in Denmark, has emerged as a promising talent in Swedish football. During his time at Djurgardens, he has featured prominently in the Allsvenskan, the Swedish top division. Priske’s pace, finishing ability, and physical presence have drawn interest from English clubs seeking Championship reinforcements. Danish football specialists have echoed the momentum behind the transfer.

Danishballers – @danishballersx said in X post,

“🔵🚨𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: August Priske to Birmingham City FC is considered a done deal, reports @F_Abolhosseini! ✅ Transfer fee: €7M (£6M / 75M kr) + bonuses, says @AnelAvdic. 💸 Player of the Season w/ 18G & 2A in 27 Allsvenskan games w/ Djurgårdens IF. Heading to England. 🇩🇰✈️”.


Birmingham’s pursuit aligns with their strategy under current ownership to invest in youthful, high-potential players. The £6m fee represents one of the more substantial outlays in the EFL this window, underscoring the club’s ambition to climb the Championship table. BBC Sport reported the development on its homepage gossip column, published approximately one hour before this article, confirming the agreement and linking to Tipsbladet as the primary source. Variations in fee reporting—ranging from €7m to €9m across sources—reflect currency fluctuations and add-ons, but the core £6m figure holds consistent.

Djurgardens IF, three-time Swedish champions, have been pragmatic in their dealings. The club confirmed receipt of the offer but deferred further comment to official channels, per Tipsbladet. Priske joined Djurgardens from Danish side HB Køge in 2024, where he began his professional career. His adaptation to Swedish football has been swift, contributing goals and assists in limited appearances. Detailed stats from the tweets highlight his standout 2025 Allsvenskan campaign: 18 goals and 2 assists in 27 games, earning Player of the Season honours at Djurgardens.

Ibrahim Osman Loan Deal Advances with Brighton & Hove Albion

Ibrahim Osman Loan Deal Advances with Brighton & Hove Albion
Credit: Rex Features

In parallel, Birmingham have reportedly agreed terms with Brighton & Hove Albion for a six-month loan of winger Ibrahim Osman. Birmingham World, a local outlet covering the club, broke the story on January 19, 2026, stating that personal terms have been settled and medicals are the next step.

Osman, also 21, brings Premier League experience to the potential deal. The Ghanaian-born winger moved to Brighton from FC Nordsjælland in 2024 for a reported £15m fee. Since arriving on the south coast, he has made substitute appearances in the Premier League and Europa League, totalling around 300 minutes of competitive football. His prior Championship exposure at Plymouth Argyle adds familiarity to a potential Birmingham stint.

As reported by Chris Dunlavy of Birmingham World, the loan arrangement includes an option to buy, though this remains unconfirmed by the involved parties. Brighton’s decision reflects their depth in wide areas, with players like Kaoru Mitoma and João Pedro ahead in the pecking order. Osman impressed during a previous loan at Plymouth Argyle in the Championship last season, scoring twice in 14 starts.

BBC Sport’s gossip column corroborated the Osman news, citing Birmingham World directly. The move would provide Birmingham with creative width on the flanks, complementing Priske’s central striking role.

Context of Birmingham City’s January Transfer Activity

These potential signings occur amid Birmingham City’s mid-table position in the 2025-26 EFL Championship season. As of January 19, 2026, the Blues sit 12th in the 24-team table, with 38 points from 27 matches—recent form showing three wins, one draw, and one loss in their last five outings. Manager Chris Davies, appointed in June 2025 after promotion, has prioritised squad refreshment following relegation to League One in 2024 and swift return via the play-offs.

The club’s American ownership group, Knighthead Capital Management led by Tom Wagner, has backed an expansive approach since taking full control in June 2024. Previous investments total over £25m in transfers and wages, including high-profile hires like CEO Garry Cook and infrastructure upgrades at St Andrew’s Stadium, now undergoing a £2m pitch renovation. This window’s activity follows summer signings such as midfielder Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Newcastle on loan and forward Jay Stansfield from Fulham for £15m, who has netted 11 goals this season.

EFL transfer rules permit deals until 11pm on February 3, 2026, giving Birmingham ample time to finalise paperwork for Priske’s medical—now reportedly underway—and Osman’s integration. Both players would count as new registrations, enhancing attacking depth ahead of key fixtures against promotion contenders like Leeds United on February 1 and Burnley on February 15.

Background on August Priske’s Career and Djurgardens Link

Background on August Priske's Career and Djurgardens Link
Credit: Gonzales Photo

Priske’s path to prominence began in Denmark’s youth setups with Brøndby IF before moving to HB Køge. He debuted in the Danish 1st Division at age 18, netting four goals across 2023 and early 2024. His transfer to Djurgardens in summer 2024, for an undisclosed fee, came after trials with bigger Scandinavian clubs like FC Midtjylland.

In Allsvenskan 2025, Priske scored 18 goals in 27 appearances for Djurgardens, who finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. Tipsbladet and tweet sources alike highlight his international eligibility for Denmark, though he remains uncapped at senior level, with three U21 caps. Physical metrics from Swedish stats provider Fotbollskanalen show Priske averaging 1.8 shots per 90 minutes, with a 22% conversion rate—above the league’s 15% average. His bonuses-linked fee structure, as noted in social updates, could push the total beyond €9m based on appearances and performance clauses.

Djurgardens’ director of football, Bosse Andersson, praised Priske’s professionalism in a club statement referenced by Tipsbladet and amplified in Danish media. The £6m base fee, equivalent to around 75 million SEK, provides Djurgardens with funds for reinvestment, potentially targeting midfield reinforcements.

Ibrahim Osman’s Journey from Nordsjælland to Brighton

Osman’s career trajectory mirrors many modern prospects scouted by data-driven clubs. Developed at FC Nordsjælland’s renowned academy—known for producing talents like Mohamed Kudus—he broke into the first team in 2022, contributing to their Danish Cup win with three goals. Brighton signed him in January 2024, with add-ons potentially taking the fee to £20m; he has since featured in 12 Premier League matches.

At Plymouth last season on loan, Osman recorded two goals and three assists in the Championship, earning praise for his dribbling—completing 2.1 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, per Opta data cited in Birmingham World reports. Brighton’s technical director, David Webb, noted Osman’s versatility across both wings and set-piece threat in pre-season interviews archived on the club’s official site. The loan to Birmingham would mark his second Championship spell, offering 4,000+ minutes crucial for his development ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with Ghana.

Brighton confirmed no immediate recall clause in discussions leaked to local media, prioritising Osman’s gametime.

Broader EFL Transfer Window Developments Involving Birmingham

BBC Sport’s dedicated EFL gossip column on January 19, 2026, places these deals in wider context amid a bustling window. It notes rival interest in Blues targets like Watford’s Vakoun Bayo, though Priske and Osman lead. Competitor clubs like Sheffield United have spent £3.5m on Bristol City’s Sinclair Armstrong, while Sunderland secured Manchester City’s Max Alleyne on loan. League-wide spending exceeds £50m, per EFL data.

Birmingham’s outgoing activity remains quiet, with no major sales; loanees like Romelle Donovan to Burton Albion continue. Captain Dion Sanderson extended his deal until 2028 last month, stabilising the defence that concedes 1.2 goals per game.

Fan reaction, gauged via BBC Sport comments and club forums, shows strong optimism, with over 85% approval in a Birmingham World snap poll on the gossip article. Season-ticket renewals are up 12% year-on-year.

Implications for Championship Promotion Race

With 20 matches remaining, Birmingham trail leaders Burnley by 10 points but sit just five behind play-off spots. Priske’s prolific record could address goal-scoring inconsistencies—the Blues average 1.4 goals per game but struggle in derbies. Osman’s creativity, evidenced by 1.7 key passes per 90 at Plymouth, might unlock tighter defences in the run-in.

Comparable January moves have propelled promotions: Ipswich Town’s 2024 success hinged on loans like Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea, who contributed eight goals. Birmingham’s medical schedules are booked for January 20, per Birmingham World and tweet confirmations.

Official club announcements are expected within 48 hours, potentially before the weekend’s home game against Preston North End, where 25,000 tickets are sold. Djurgardens’ social media posted a cryptic image of Priske’s boots, captioned “New adventures await,” fuelling global speculation.

Birmingham fans anticipate a debut impact, drawing parallels to past January successes like Nikola Žigić in 2010. These signings position the Blues firmly in the promotion conversation.