Club strengthen wing options as Osman joins

BIRMINGHAM

- By ALEX DICKEN

Ibrahim Osman.

(PIC: BCFC.COM)

City have signed winger Ibrahim Osman on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.Brighton have cut short Osman’s loan at French side Auxerre, where he played 14 Ligue 1 games and managed two assists, to hand him his first taste of English football with Blues.

The 21-year-old Ghanaian was a £16million signing for Brighton 18 months ago from Danish side Nord-sjaelland but he hasn’t broken through into their first team, instead spending that time on loan with Feyenoord and Auxerre.

Osman was more successful in the Netherlands last season with three goals and three assists in 22 Eredivisie matches for Feyenoord, plus seven appearances in the Champions League.

Blues have been looking for reinforcements out wide and saw a deal to sign Abdoulie Manneh collapse last week.

Osman, a right-footed winger who can operate on both flanks, will provide competition for first-choice duo Demarai Gray and Patrick Roberts in the second half of the season.