Birmingham City are chasing a potential permanent deal for Manchester United midfielder Tahith Chong but negotiations are ongoing at this stage, according to an update on Twitter from Fabrizio Romano.

The West Midlands outfit took the 22-year-old on loan last term with the Dutchman's arrival at St Andrew's creating real excitement - but injury problems prevented him from making the impact he would have wanted to as he recorded just one goal and three assists in 20 league appearances.

And unfortunately for Chong, he doesn't seem to be a part of Erik ten Hag's plans at this stage, potentially making him a player that could leave Old Trafford once more despite United officials deciding to trigger an extension in his contract this summer.

His existing deal expires in 2023 though - and that could be one reason why John Eustace's side are currently pushing for a permanent deal - with journalist Neil Moxley reporting yesterday that this had been sanctioned by the club's current owners despite takeover uncertainty.

Negotiations have not been concluded at this stage though with more work to be done before the deadline on Thursday, according to Romano.

Birmingham's strong relationship with the Premier League side could work in their favour though, with the former taking Teden Mengi on loan last season and securing the temporary addition of Hannibal Mejbri yesterday evening.

The Verdict:

They probably won't get a better chance to secure him permanently considering he has less than 12 months left on his deal and no other sides seem to be firmly in the mix for his signature.

This is a bit of a surprise because the Dutchman is a real talent and could easily be sold on for a considerable amount in the future if he does get regular football under his belt with his next club, regardless of whether that's Birmingham or not.

You do feel someone like him is needed in the Midlands outfit's current situation as well, with more creativity needed to support the likes of new arrival Mejbri and Juninho Bacuna, with more depth needed in other positions.

If they can get a deal for Chong over the line, they then need to focus on improving their left side to ensure they aren't left short in that department and they are also in need of a striker or two to provide Eustace with different options.

They may benefit if they can get a deal for the Dutchman signed and sealed, but his arrival won't mean much if they don't address other key areas because they are lacking in options in multiple positions.