Birmingham City have completed the signing of Oliver Basey after the young keeper impressed on trial.

The 18-year-old was previously with Sunderland and he was a regular for the Black Cats U18 side last season. However, with his deal expiring, Basey was allowed to assess his options and he actually played for the Blues development side on the final day of the previous campaign.

And, it was a game that went well, as Basey kept a clean sheet and Blues picked up the win that saw them crowned champions of the Professional Development League.

As well as that outing, the teenager had been training with the side in order to earn a deal and he has obviously impressed, with Birmingham announcing his signing on their official site this afternoon.

They state that Basey has joined as a first-year professional and he will initially join up with the development side.

Longer term though, the keeper will hope to catch the eye of Lee Bowyer and eventually force his way into the first-team reckoning at St. Andrew's.

The verdict

This appears to be a low-risk move for Blues as they've seen Basey in training and a game and they clearly think he is someone who has a lot of talent.

So, the fans need to trust the coaching staff on this one and it will be interesting to see how the youngster develops in the years to come.

Of course, he won't be near the first-team right now, but this is a great opportunity for Basey to show what he can do and to try and force his way in down the line.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.