Birmingham City boss Lee Bowyer has confirmed there will be a discussion between his side and Premier League outfit Norwich City regarding a potential return for Onel Hernandez next season, speaking candidly to Birmingham Live.

The Cuban is already establishing himself as one of the most integral players for Bowyer's men in the West Midlands in his short time at the club, arriving from the Canaries in January following an unproductive loan spell at Middlesbrough earlier this term.

Scoring just once in 17 appearances for Boro, he often appeared from the bench and only completed 90 minutes on two occasions for the Teesside outfit before returning to Carrow Road.

In stark contrast in the Midlands, he has recorded three goals and two assists in 12 displays, an impressive record for the 29-year-old who would have been downbeat following an underwhelming spell at the Blues' Championship rivals earlier on in 2021/22.

Not only has he been an asset in terms of goalscoring contributions - but he has also played in multiple positions and proved to be a valuable commodity in each - though Bowyer will be keen to keep him in an advanced position alongside the likes of Lyle Taylor and Troy Deeney for his efforts going forward.

With the Blues operating on a tight budget, opting against signing Riley McGree in the previous window, there are doubts as to whether they will be able to recruit Hernandez on a permanent basis.

However, the second-tier side's boss has revealed they will try to bring him back to St Andrew's as he said: "I don’t know [the prospect of getting him back], the one thing I do know is Onel loves it here. I have had a few conversations with him and he is really enjoying it.

"Onel is one of those people you need to put your arm round, tell them you love them and let them play. If you keep the reins on him then he is not going to be the same player.

"It’s obviously something that is going to be out of my control but there will be a discussion between the two clubs in the summer. If we can find a way I am sure we will."

The Verdict:

All eyes will be on the board to come up with the goods - because their failure to sign McGree was a real source of disappointment for some supporters and they will be hoping Bowyer's comments can materialise into something positive.

Although utilisation of the loan market is key to maximise squad quality and depth whilst also ensuring clubs remain within the EFL's profitability and sustainability rules, they cannot build for the long term unless they have a solid core of permanent players.

One of those key permanent men in Kristian Pedersen still hasn't put pen to paper on fresh terms at St Andrew's and this is why there needs to be a recruitment drive in the summer based on longer-term deals.

This quest for permanent players is something Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has been pushing for at his club and Bowyer should do the same if he hasn't done so already.

Ultimately though, what business they can complete will depend on the club's status in terms of financial rules and whether their owners are willing to fork out the money needed to elevate them from the bottom half of the table.