Birmingham have bolstered their goalkeeping ranks after Neil Etheridge contracted Covid-19 by landing Wolves’ Matija Sarkic on a season-long loan.
Etheridge is back at home after being hospitalised following a battle with coronavirus and will be given all the time he needs to make a full recovery.
And Birmingham have moved for Sarkic after the 23 year-old impressed manager Lee Bowyer during pre-season.
Birmingham have beaten off competition from Sheffield Wednesday and clubs in the Scottish Premiership, where he previously shone during a loan spell with Livingston, and Europe to sign Sarkic.
He has played once for Montenegro and is considered to have the potential to eventually become his countries first choice goalkeeper.
Aston Villa allowed Sarkic to leave on a free last summer and he joined Wolves before impressing while on loan at Shrewsbury in League One.
He will now continue his development with a step up to the Championship. Birmingham’s goalkeeper coach Andy Marshall, who worked with Sarkic at Villa, is understood to have been one key factor in their interest and the move.
And Bowyer has been further impressed having got a close-up look at Sarkic in training and pre-season friendlies against Cheltenham and Barrow.