Five Birmingham City signings that never made any sense

Which players rank among the most unusual signings made by Birmingham City managers? A look back through past transfer windows highlights several deals that raised plenty of eyebrows, and these five names certainly stand out.

Luciano Figueroa

Birmingham City paid £2.5 million to sign striker Luciano Figueroa from Rosario Central after he finished a season in Argentina as the country’s top scorer. The highly-rated forward, who was labelled the “new Gabriel Batistuta,” agreed a five-year contract with the Midlands club at the age of just 22.

Speaking after the move, he said he was excited about the opportunity to play in the English Premier League and impressed by the club’s facilities and St Andrew’s stadium.

However, things never worked out as expected. Figueroa managed only three minutes of top-flight action for Birmingham, appearing briefly as a substitute in a 2–0 win over Portsmouth in September 2003. His entire spell at the club lasted just five months and was surrounded by unusual circumstances.

Soon after his arrival, Spanish club Osasuna claimed that the striker had already signed an agreement with them before completing his move to Birmingham.

The dispute was eventually settled by FIFA in Birmingham’s favour, although it later emerged that Rangers had also withdrawn from a potential deal to sign him that same summer.

Despite scoring regularly for the reserve side, Figueroa never broke into the first team. By December, less than half a season into his contract, Birmingham released him to join Mexican side Cruz Azul.

He went on to play for nine more clubs across Europe and South America before finishing his career with Malaysian Super League side Johor Darul Ta’zim in 2018, later becoming the team’s manager. Internationally, he recorded nine goals in 15 appearances for Argentina.

Nicolai Brock-Madsen

Birmingham signed Nicolai Brock-Madsen in August 2015 for £480,000 at a time when transfer funds were limited. The Danish forward arrived in the same window as Maikel Kieftenbeld, who would go on to become a key player for the club.

The expectation was that Brock-Madsen would develop over time and eventually repay his transfer fee with goals. Manager Gary Rowett explained at the time that the club wanted a young, hungry player who could grow into the squad and potentially take opportunities if given the chance.

That progression never materialised. Brock-Madsen made only six league appearances for Birmingham and spent much of his time out on loan, including spells in the Dutch Eredivisie and in Scotland.

His contract was eventually cancelled in December 2019, and he joined Danish Superliga side AC Horsens shortly afterward. He later returned to Randers, with a short loan spell at FC Fredericia before retiring in 2024.

Guy Moussi

Another of Gary Rowett’s more unusual signings was Guy Moussi, who joined Birmingham on a two-month contract in November 2014. The midfielder made headlines by announcing that he would donate his wages during the deal to four different charities.

There were concerns about his fitness, but after three weeks of training he made his debut in Birmingham’s impressive 6–1 victory over Reading.

Moussi featured in just one more league match, against Nottingham Forest, before leaving the club when the decision was made not to extend his contract. He later had a brief spell with Finnish side HJK Helsinki in 2015 before retiring in his early thirties. Since then, he has moved into the medical sector, working in injury rehabilitation equipment and supplying some of Europe’s leading football clubs.

Olly Lee

Former Birmingham manager Lee Clark made 47 signings during his time in charge, and the arrival of Olly Lee remains one of the most curious. The midfielder initially joined on trial in February 2013 before the move was converted into a loan from Barnet a month later, despite Barnet playing two divisions below Birmingham.

Lee later signed a one-year permanent deal on a free transfer in the summer of 2013. One of his most memorable moments came in the League Cup against Stoke City, when he scored a dramatic late equaliser to make it 4–4 and force a penalty shoot-out.

There was also a personal link behind the move, as his father Rob Lee had previously been a teammate of Clark’s at Newcastle United.

After leaving Birmingham, Lee went on to play for several clubs, including Luton Town, before joining Hearts, who later loaned him to Gillingham. He signed permanently for the Gills in 2021 and retired in 2023. He is now working as an Under-21 coach at Norwich City.

Brian Howard

Lee Clark was far from cautious in the transfer market, and Brian Howard was one of several short-term additions made during a period when the club was operating with a tight budget.

Howard joined Birmingham in January 2014 after returning to England during the European winter break following a year with Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia. He was one of seven players recruited in that transfer window.

At 31 years old, the former Barnsley midfielder was already approaching the later stages of his career. His time at Birmingham proved brief, making just five appearances and scoring once before injuries disrupted his spell.

His contract was not renewed at the end of the season, bringing a short stay at the club to a close. Howard later turned out for National League South side Whitehawk, which marked the final chapter of his playing career.