Birmingham City have held positive talks with Aitor Karanka ahead of the potential appointment of the Spaniard according to We Are Birmingham. 

The Blues have been searching for a permanent successor to Pep Clotet, and it appears as though Karanka is the manager that could be appointed in the near future.

Birmingham have struggled for a positive run of results since returning to competitive action, and are currently sat 20th in the Championship table.

Alarmingly, the Blues are just two points clear of the relegation zone, which will make for concerning reading for the club's supporters, as they head into the final game of the season on Wednesday evening.

Karanka has been out of work since January 2019, after he left Nottingham Forest, despite the club being sat seventh in the second tier standings, and just four points adrift of the play-off places at the time.

He has also managed in the Championship with Middlesbrough, whilst also being Jose Mourinho's assistant whilst with Real Madrid in the early stages of his coaching career.

Birmingham take on Derby County in their final match of the season, as they look to retain their status as a Championship club with a positive result on the night.

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The Verdict: 

This is a smart appointment by the Blues.

Birmingham need a manager that is going to be part of the club's long-term vision, and I think Karanka would suit that perfectly, as he's already shown what he can do in the dugout at this level.

I'm confident that he would have been able to guide Nottingham Forest into the play-offs if he had remained with the Reds last season.

But if he can have a similar impact on and off-the-pitch with Birmingham City, then they'll certainly improve on what has been a poor season on the whole this term.