Birmingham City head coach Pep Clotet has revealed that Fran Villalba is likely to return to Spain this month following a brief spell at St Andrew's.

The midfielder is reportedly close to making a switch to Almeria, according to Spanish news outlet Lo Voz de Almeria.

Since joining the Blues last summer from Valencia on a three-year deal, Villalba has struggled for consistency in the Championship.

Whilst the midfielder has managed to illustrate some occasional signs of promise, his overall impact on Birmingham's 2019/20 campaign has been minimal.

Despite making 17 appearances in the second-tier, Villalba has only managed to score once for the Blues.

Following an underwhelming display in the club's 3-0 defeat to Hull City in December, the 21-year-old has been forced to watch on from the sidelines in recent weeks.

Yet to feature for Birmingham in 2020, Villalba's time with the club may now be brought to an end.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail about the midfielder's future, Clotet said: "It is probable that Fran goes back to Spain, the deal is pretty well there.

"I think it all comes together as well."

Villalba reportedly may have to initially move to Almeria on loan with an obligation to buy as the Segunda Division side are close to exceeding the league's salary cap.

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The Verdict

When you consider just how underwhelming Villalba's stint at St Andrew's has been, it could be argued that the Blues may be making the right decision to cut ties with the midfielder.

Although the former Valencia man unquestionably possesses a great deal of talent, he has been unable to adapt to the competitiveness that the Championship is famed for.

If Villalba does indeed depart Birmingham this month, it will be intriguing to see whether Clotet opts to bring in a replacement before the transfer window closes on January 31st.

Given that the Blues are currently 18th in the second-tier standings, it could be argued that they may need to bolster their squad in order to achieve a relative amount of success during the remainder of the campaign.