Lukas Jutkiewicz has become a fan favourite at Birmingham but fans could be preparing for a sad exit
Fans of Birmingham City may be counting on Lukas Jutkiewicz to keep them in the second division, but his time at St. Andrew’s may come to an end as the team finds itself in a relegation battle they did not anticipate early in the season.
Jutkiewicz joined the Blues in 2017 following a strong loan stint in the West Midlands, where he scored eight league goals in just 20 Championship appearances. Midway through the season, the Blues acquired Jutkiewicz for £1 million from Burnley, making him a permanent part of the team. Despite numerous tragedies during the previous ten years, it was one of the club’s wiser decisions, and Jutkiewicz has since become the second city’s cult hero.
Jutkiewicz has established himself as a mainstay for the Blues with 63 league goals in 312 league appearances. Despite his goal drought towards the end of his time at St. Andrews, where he has played under 16 managers in total, including caretakers and interims, Jutkiewicz is still an important part of their team. But fans of the Blues should prepare themselves for a dismal conclusion since he is probably going to depart in the summer.
At the conclusion of the current season, Jutkiewicz’s contract expires; his next extension is scheduled until April 2021. He hasn’t been as effective lately, scoring just 10 league goals since the beginning of the 2021–2022 season.
Therefore, it appears certain that the toweing striker will move on in the summer, regardless of the tier Birmingham plays in as they continue to battle to hold onto their Championship position.
He has contributed numerous pivotal moments, most notably his 14- and 15-goal hauls in the 2018–19 and 2019–20 Championship seasons, respectively, which made the Blues supporters embrace him as a member of the team as they achieved comfortable mid-table finishes.
After joining the team permanently in the January 2017 window, Jutkiewicz has been with the team for the longest, surpassing Marc Roberts by six months. The team has seen ups and downs with him, including when he scored the game’s first goal at Villa Park against Aston Villa in the Midlands derby. Fans will also be hopeful that, following a wild season, his farewell will include Championship survival, similar to many other stalwarts who play out their contracts before retiring on a high note.
During the January transfer window, the striker was linked to a move to Blackburn Rovers; however, the deal never materialised. It’s intriguing that Rovers player Sam Gallagher is also being linked to a move out of Ewood Park; perhaps that will happen in the future.
Considering his EFL performance, you have to believe he will have options when it comes to moving on, and there’s always a chance he’ll decide to stay longer at St Andrew’s.
However, it seems like his exit could occur this summer under their new management, so fans should get ready to say farewell.
