Birmingham City have announced that several of their Under-23 players are not being retained at the expiry of their contracts via their official website. The club have named Corey O’Keeffe, Olly McCoy, Ben Forrest, George Baker, Rhys Hilton, Michael Luyambula, Adam Siviter and Jake Weaver as those who will be departing at the end of their current contracts.
It is not known whether the current circumstances have played a part in all or some of these decisions and although the Midlands outfit don’t mention the global pandemic in their communication, there has undoubtedly been a financial impact on all of the EFL clubs who have been without gate receipts since early March.
Here is how a sample of the St. Andrew’s faithful have responded to the post on Twitter.
Luyumba looks a decent keeper, shame we’ve let go of him.
— JayWalton?? (@Waltonnn_5) May 19, 2020
Why luyambula and o keefe
— Bailey ? (@BaileyBrennan96) May 19, 2020
I thought Michael Luyambula was ment to be a quality keeper in the making surprised by that call
— Mike Maddocks (@mike51256678) May 19, 2020
No my Mikael
— Wayne.b32 (@waynesimps17) May 19, 2020
Are you surprised to hear of so many players being released?
Yes
No
I’d of kept luyambula n baker
— Anthony Lloyd (@anthonytdlloyd) May 19, 2020
Good luck lads KRO
— chris tyler (@cbluetyler) May 19, 2020
What do we think?
Judging by the above responses, many were surprised to learn of the club’s decision to allow Luyambula to leave. The goalkeeper was signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018 and was on loan at Telford United in the National League North when their season was abandoned.