Who is Phil Neumann? The star Birmingham City are pushing to sign in January | OneFootball

FLW outline the career of Hannover 96's Phil Neumann amid interest from Birmingham City.

German centre-back Phil Neumann was linked with a transfer to Birmingham City during the summer transfer window and Chris Davies' side could revisit a move for the defender in January.

Birmingham are set to make a fresh bid for the Hannover 96 man in the winter transfer window, according to Football Insider. The report claims that Blues are preparing an improved offer for Neumann after having a £3.4 million bid rejected in the summer.

Reporter Florian Plettenberg, a journalist for Sky Sports in Germany, claims that they submitted an offer of €4 million, with potential add-ons, for the 27-year-old who plays predominantly as a centre-back. A verbal agreement was apparently already in place but there were some hurdles to overcome, with a move never materialising in the end.

The 2. Bundesliga club were said to be 'still not willing' to sell Neumann and they later attempted to secure the defender to fresh terms until the summer of 2027. However, nothing has yet been announced on that front.

Despite missing out, Blues effectively rebuilt their defence to suit their new manager and acquired two new centre-backs. Austrian ace Christoph Klarer was the first they decided on before Ben Davies arrived on loan from Rangers at the end of the window to provide depth.

But Hannover 96 defender Neumann, who is primarily a centre-back but can operate at right-back, popped up on Blues’ radar, and they could now return for his services in January, even with Dion Sanderson and Krystian Bielik also on the club's books.

Despite their strong defensive record this season, it is believed that "centre-back has been highlighted as a key area for improvement" in January by Birmingham.

Phil Neumann's career so far

The Schalke 04 youth product, who has also played for FC Ingolstadt and Holstein Kiel, and Germany at U-19 and U-20 level, managed 33 games in the middle of Hannover’s defence last season as they finished sixth in 2. Bundesliga.

The 27-year-old has continued his strong form for Hannover in the second tier of German football this term, having featured in all 11 of his team’s league games so far this season and playing every minute of every game in the process. He started in 32 of 34 league outings last season as well and is a stalwart of the 2. Bundesliga with 168 games under his belt.

Neumann is now just starting to enter his peak. He has played nearly the entirety of his career in the German second tier and could prove to be an invaluable member of Davies' squad with his consistency and perhaps surprising calmness with the ball at his feet.

Born in July 1997 in Recklinghausen, Neumann’s football career has taken him through some notable clubs in Germany before his current spell at Hannover. His journey began at FC Schalke 04, where he progressed through their renowned academy system.

However, first-team opportunities were hard to come by in Gelsenkirchen, so he sought a move that could offer regular football. In 2017, Neumann switched to FC Ingolstadt 04, playing primarily for their B team at first but managing to make the step up to the senior side eventually as well.

His time there laid the foundation for his development in the 2. Bundesliga, giving him exposure to competitive football, albeit outside the Bundesliga spotlight. A move to Holstein Kiel followed in 2019, where Neumann continued to ply his trade in the second tier. It was here that his performances started catching more attention, establishing him as a regular fixture in the squad.

Despite spending a few years at Kiel, the top tier of German football still eluded him. In 2022, Neumann took on a fresh challenge, moving to his current club in Hannover 96, another 2. Bundesliga side. Though he has yet to feature in the Bundesliga itself, his consistency at this level has made him a key figure for Hannover in their push for promotion over the last few seasons.

Now, Neumann only has a year left on his deal at the German club. His contract at the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena expires in June 2025. He is still a key player in this campaign for Stefan Leitl's side, who currently sit top of the table and defensive solidity has been key to their success thus far.

By next summer, Neumann will be a free agent when his Hannover contract expires. That means Blues can negotiate with Neumann and his representatives during the January transfer window if they want to pursue a free transfer for the summer, or he may be available for a cut-price fee despite Hannover's lofty ambitions of their own.

He is among the best central defenders in Germany's second tier, with his speed making him capable of operating as a high-line defender. Having been deployed as both a centre-back and a right-back, Neumann is also adept in either a back three or back four, be that as a central player or a more traditional right-back or outside centre-back.

That versatility should aid Blues, but Neumann's ball-playing abilities are what sets him apart. Per FBref, he attempts high-risk progressive passes regularly. His pass completion is only in the 18th percentile but his progressive passes and progressive carries are in the 89th and 99th percentiles respectively.

He is not only capable of breaking lines himself in possession, but Neumann is also willing to join the attack. The 27-year-old receives plenty of progressive passes himself (98th percentile) despite starting as a centre-back. It highlights Hannover's trust in him to slot into midfield areas to take the ball under pressure.

A towering defender, his experience at both right-back and centre-back could see Birmingham make another move in January. It would make him a useful and versatile player for Davies to have, especially amid uncertainty in Ben Davies' long-term future at the club as a loan player and question marks surrounding Dion Sanderson's mid-to-long-term future at St. Andrew's as well.

However, they are not without competition for his services. Hertha Berlin are reportedly interested in Neumann, according to Florian Plettenberg, but with the exciting project on offer in England with Birmingham, they may just be able to twist his arm.

Hertha are currently competing alongside Hannover in the second tier but Plettenberg claims they have gathered initial information on Neumann and are targeting his signature. There is little evidence to suggest that Neumann is set to sign a new contract and Hannover risk losing him for free in the summer amid interest from their divisional rivals.

They could decide to cash in on him in January if Birmingham were to submit a fresh bid. Neumann's arrival would further strengthen a defence that has conceded just 11 league goals so far this season, and they currently sit top of the League One table, four points clear of third-placed Wrexham after just one league defeat so far.