Birmingham City have fended off Premier League competition to secure the signature of young defender Rico Browne, according to the Birmingham Mail.

The 18-year-old has put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the Blues, following in the footsteps of Jordan James and George Hall, who featured in the first-team under Lee Bowyer last season and subsequently penned pro deals.

Browne, who was born in Manchester but has represented St. Kitts and Nevis at youth international level, has featured regularly for Birmingham's development teams this past season.

 

 

The centre-back played 13 times for the under-18's in the age-equivalent Premier League, as well as featuring in 14 Premier League 2 games for the under-23's.

In April, it was reported that Browne was close to agreeing a deal with Birmingham, despite interest the previous year from Premier League outfits Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Having been on trial at both clubs, Browne opted to remain at St. Andrew's and see out his scholarship - and now he's becoming a professional player with the Blues.

The Verdict

Lee Bowyer is not afraid to give young players a chance at Birmingham - last season we saw Jordan James and Nico Gordon in particular grab theirs with both hands.

And with the club's budget for next season unknown as of now, with takeover talks rumbling on, Bowyer - or whoever is the club's manager - could be forced to promote more youth into the senior ranks.

Browne is one that should be on the fringes due to his performances for the under-23's, and he plays in a position that does need fresh faces involved.

Premier League clubs clearly spotted his talent last year, and if he can continue his progress then we could be seeing more of him in the Championship next season.