Ex Hearts player could make Birmingham City transfer exit as ex-Jambos star faces competition after done deal
The former Hearts pair are currently at Championship level with Birmingham City.
One former Hearts player could make way from Birmingham City this month - as another faces increased competition for his spot in the team.
The Blues have returned to the English Championship this season after winning League One last term under boss Chris Davies. They have a number of former SPFL faces in their ranks and two of those are formerly of Tynecastle, midfielder Marc Leonard and left-back Alex Cochrane.
Since leaving Hearts in 2024 for the Blues, Cochrane has been an ever-present in his position, while Leonard has featured 17 times in all competitions this season but was not included in the squad for a weekend win over Coventry City. Leonard, who signed for Hearts as a teenager from Rangers before heading south to play for Brighton, is now reported as a candidate for moving on from Birmingham City this January transfer window.
What player could leave Birmingham City this transfer window?
After Davies said ‘we’ll see’ when pressed on whether or not the former Jambo will leave the Championship side, it’s claimed by Birmingham Live: “Marc Leonard could leave Birmingham City in January after being left out of the squad for Sunday’s victory over Coventry City. Birmingham Live understands the door is open for Leonard to depart this month, 18 months after the club beat significant competition to sign him from Brighton & Hove Albion.
“Leonard has been frustrated by his lack of game time and could have left Blues last summer before being convinced to stick around by Davies. But opportunities haven’t been more forthcoming in the Championship with Paik Seung-ho and Tommy Doyle now Davies’ preferred midfield pairing since Tomoki Iwata was shifted to right-back.
“The Glaswegian is hoping to remain in the Championship having been part of Blues’ League One title-winning side last season. With two-and-a-half years remaining on Leonard’s contract, a loan move is believed to be more likely than a permanent transfer at this stage.”
Alex Cochrane position at Birmingham City
Meanwhile, Kai Wagner has arrived from Philadelphia Union to challenge Cochrane at left-back. He featured against Coventry with the former Hearts man missing through injury and while Cochrane has mastered his role in Davies’ team according to the boss himself, Wagner offers a different outlet.
Davies said: “He’s different in a way,. Alex Cochrane has got what I call the Alex Cochrane role because it’s just how he plays and he’s been almost ever-present so he’s mastered his own role. Anyone that comes in can never quite be Alex. Kai will be Kai. He’s got that lovely left foot, like Alex has, but he wants to get forward and get crosses in.”
Wagner said of the task at hand: “I’m really excited to look forward to this chapter. At the beginning of December we had some small talks, a nice Zoom call. They told me about the whole project, and it gave me goosebumps straight from the beginning. I spoke to the coach, and I was really happy about that too, to hear his insights. He told me what he wants me to bring to the pitch and how I can help the team.”