Roger Johnson, 28, has had two fantastic seasons in the Premier League under Alex McLeish’s tenure. The English defender formed a steady partnership with Scott Dann – who has also been linked with a move away from St. Andrews.
The Blues were relegated last season despite conceding 58 goals. This is in stark contrast to Wolves and West Brom who let in 66 and 71 goals respectively. This shows that Birmingham’s defence was not the major problem in their relegation.
Birmingham were hit by the news that McLeish was to resign from his position as manager. This has led to many exits from the club including Johnson himself.
The centre-back was wanted by a host of clubs but decided to stay in the Midlands with Wolves. The £7m move looks like a bargain for boss Mick McCarthy who is looking to bolster his defence.
Birmingham could have started a bidding war had they announced that Wolves had made a bid for their star defender. However it seems like the Blues wanted to complete the deal quickly so new manager Chris Hughton could invest in his own targets.
Johnson, who was an ever-present in the Premier League last season, would have fitted in well at a club like Arsenal. They are crying out for a rock in their defence but Arsene Wenger obviously thought Johnson was not capable of making the step up.
Johnson overcame an injury to beat Arsenal in the Carling Cup final last season, showing his drive and determination to compete with the big teams.
McCarthy said on signing Johnson: “I saw something in Roger a couple of years ago. But two years is a bit too long to wait really.
“I always thought he would be a success in the Premier League. He was better than anyone thought.”
The transfer will prove to be excellent business for Wolves. But in a year’s time Birmingham will be kicking themselves that they let him go for just £7m.
Anthony Hay