This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City are eyeing a move for Newcastle United defender Ciaran Clark.

According to the Daily Mail, the defender is currently available on the transfer market and is training with the U23s side as they look to find him a new club.

Here we ask our FLW writers their verdict on if the Irishman would be a good signing for the Blues… 

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

Whichever way you look at it, Birmingham City were poor defensively last campaign.

The club are in desperate need of reinforcements at the back, and Ciaran Clark would certainly address this.

Although he is now 32, you have to feel that a player that has racked up 213 Premier League appearances to date would do well down in the Championship.

If, for example, the Blues pull this one off, along with Naby Sarr, who they have previously been linked with, suddenly the Blues backline is looking rather competent, with Dion Sanderson also having arrived on a season long loan from Wolves.

It's clear the club knows their weaknesses and it will be interesting to see if they can get this one over the line.

Alfie Burns

Look, Clark has his limitations as a player and when you look at his time at Newcastle, he’s probably outstayed his welcome at St James’ Park. 

That’s been the club’s fault rather than the player’s and you can’t help but feel a move to a new club will help him. 

Birmingham are needing to bring in some defensive recruits in a bid to tighten up what was a leaky defence last season. The addition of players at centre-back won’t be the only thing that helps, but it will go some way to helping it. 

Clark, then, could be good. He’s got plenty of experience and we know he can cut it at this level. 

Toby Wilding

This does feel like it could be a rather useful piece of business for Birmingham to try and get done.

If, as has seemed likely, Harlee Dean is to leave the club this summer, they will be short on options at centre back, and somewhat lacking in experience among those who remain at the club.

As a result, the addition of someone with the Premier League pedigree and experience of Clark could be an important boost, that would surely help to strengthen a Championship defence such as this one.

Indeed, when you consider the profile of this signing, it could arguably provide a welcome and potentially much needed lift around the club when it comes to the direction and ambition they are showing, so this could be worth pursuing for those in charge at St Andrew's.