Birmingham City defender Kristian Pedersen is set to leave the Blues this summer after turning down a new deal, according to Football Insider.

The 27-year-old signed a four-year deal in the summer of 2018 when arriving from German outfit Union Berlin, but the Midlands side have been unable to convince  him to extend his stay.

Pedersen has played 161 times for Birmingham in all competitions since he signed for the club, including 37 outings in the Championship during the 2021-22 campaign.

However, last week's 2-1 season-ending loss to Blackburn Rovers, in which the one-cap Denmark international scored in, looks set to be his final appearance in the club's shirt.

Current Blues boss Lee Bowyer revealed back in April that he expected Pedersen to depart St. Andrew's despite being offered a new deal.

And with his contract status up in the air during the previous transfer window, the likes of Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Coventry City were all linked with Pedersen's signature, but ultimately a move never came to fruition.

The Verdict

Despite being part of a defence for four seasons that hasn't exactly had the best record of keeping the ball out of the back of the net, Pedersen has stood out as the most solid of the lot.

He is versatile, can play as a left-sided defender but also as a wing-back, and he provides a threat from set pieces.

Pedersen is probably setting his sights on either a promotion-chasing Championship team or perhaps a club from abroad that can give him a new challenge.

He will be a considerable loss to Birmingham when it's all said and done - even if fans are divided as to his seemingly imminent departure.