Blues investing in the 'arms race for talent'

KNIGHTHEAD have invested heavily in Blues' infrastructure since taking control of the club in 2023 - and the sums will only get bigger when the Sports Quarter is constructed.

- By ALEX DICKEN

The American investment firm has pledged £3 billion to build the complex in the heart of Birmingham, which will house all of the club's teams, a 62,000-seater stadium and plenty more.

But they haven't neglected Blues' existing facilities in the meantime, in fact they have thrown money at St Andrew’s, the Elite Performance and Innovation Centre - where the men’s team trains - and Wast Hills.

The Birmingham Mail was recently given a tour of Wast Hills, now known as the Knighthead Performance Centre, by Blues’ head of infrastructure, Nick Smith, to see the £5m worth of improvements which have been made since a fire wrecked the facility in March 2023. Knighthead made those improvements with the goal of earning Category One status again and Blues’ Academy was awarded that at the end of last season.

Blues’ owners believe such investments will be returned eventually. For example, the academy only has to produce one £5m footballer for the costs of redeveloping Wast Hills to be recovered.