![\"Phil](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_JS375155966.jpg\")
Phil Neumann of Birmingham City<\/p>\nThe Birmingham City centre back has made a strong start to life in English football – but it could have come so much soonerPhil Neumann of Birmingham City<\/p>\n
Phil Neumann admits he would have loved to have been part of Birmingham City<\/a> \u2019s League One title winning charge.<\/p>\n The impressive centre-back has played all but two minutes of Blues\u2019 three Championship matches so far this term, forging a no-nonsense partnership with captain Christoph Klarer.<\/p>\n Neumann <\/a>joined on a free transfer from Hannover 96 earlier this summer, and standing 6ft 3ins tall and blessed with pace, the 28-year-old has shown just why Blues were so keen to bring him in.<\/p>\n Indeed, they tried to do so 12 months ago, but the 2 Bundesliga club refused to sell him \u2013 and they also knocked back Blues\u2019 attempts in January.<\/p>\n In the end, Neumann could do no more than sign a pre-contract agreement, which meant he had to wait a year for the transfer \u2013 and even then Hannover were unhappy that Blues announced the deal an hour after they had played Jahn Regensburg.<\/p>\n In confirming the deal Hannover added a snarky paragraph to their statement<\/a>, noting: \u201c Birmingham<\/a> City have insisted on releasing the transfer on match-day against Regensburg.\u201d<\/p>\n Then their sporting director Marcus Mann doubled down and fumed:<\/a> \u201cThe English way is not okay. And that doesn\u2019t make communication any easier. We won\u2019t let an English third division team dictate what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking after Saturday\u2019s 1-0 win over Oxford United, <\/a>Neumann welcomed an end to the drawn out saga.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s nice to finally be here,\u201d he said. \u201cI wish I would have moved here one year earlier, but yeah, now I’m here and I’m really happy to be here.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team makes it really easy for me. The first person who came to me right before I joined wrote me messages and said \u2018Yeah, we’re happy to have you here soon\u2019. It makes me [have] a good feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I came in, everybody was really lovely, and it’s the same now with every other new player who comes in – you feel settled in really, really fast.\u201d<\/p>\n His relationship with Klarer looks complementary and so far he has found the Championship exactly as billed.<\/p>\n Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> \u00a343<\/p>\n \u00a335<\/p>\n Sky<\/p>\n Get Sky Sports here<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1755016403_380_0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\")
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