Transfer Centre

Birmingham City confirm signing of Virtus Entella left-back Cheick Keita

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 19 January 2017

Birmingham City complete the signing of Virtus Entella left-back Cheick Keita for an undisclosed fee said to be in the region of £1m.

Birmingham City have completed the signing of Virtus Entella left-back Cheick Keita for an undisclosed fee said to be in the region of £1m.

The 20-year-old Frenchman has penned a three-and-a-half year deal at St Andrew's, while the Blues also have the option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.

Born in Paris, Keita - who could also represent Mali - is a product of the Clairefontaine academy, which counts the likes of Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and William Gallas amongst its alumni.

As a youth player, he spent three years with AS Monaco before being released and linking up with Entella in 2014, making 67 league appearances for the Serie B club.

Newly-appointed Birmingham manager Gianfranco Zola was keen to bring in added cover in defence, with Jonathan Grounds the club's only recognised left-back.

The Italian has brought in four new permanent recruits in his first window in charge at the West Midlands club, with Lukas Jutkiewicz, Craig Gardner and Emilio Nsue having also come in this month.