Blues midfielder Rekeem Harper has joined fellow League One side Exeter City on a season-long loan.
The 22-year-old’s only appearance for Town this season was the Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester, although he was on the bench for the opening day draw with Bolton. The deal includes a January recall should the Blues opt to take it.
"I’m really delighted to be here and it’s been a long time coming. I feel like Exeter’s goals align with my goals as a player and I’m really excited,” Harper told the Grecians official website having trained with his new teammates today.
"I spoke to George Friend and Kane Wilson, and they had great things to say about the club, and I hope I can use my experience at this level to help out the team.
"I think my individual mentality is that I take every game as another step in the direction I want to go. It helps having been in this league already.
"I’m an all-rounded midfielder who likes to play forward and take risk, and most importantly I’m a hard worker.”
Exeter head of player recruitment Marcus Flitcroft added: "Rekeem is a player we have monitoring for a while and have worked hard to bring to the football club. He fits the profile of player that we were looking for and know he will be a great addition to the squad.
"He has plenty of experience at this level and above despite his age and we hope that this loan spell with us will be hugely beneficial to Rekeem and ourselves.
"He’s a dynamic and composed midfielder that will add some real quality to us in all phases of play in the middle of the pitch.”
Harper, who joined Town from West Brom last summer signing a deal which runs to the summer of 2024 with the club having an option for a further year, started last season in the team but drifted out of favour and moved to Crewe on loan for the second half of last season.
In total, Harper has made 11 starts and eight sub appearances for the Blues without scoring.
Speaking about Harper and fellow former Baggie Kyle Edwards earlier this month, manager Kieran McKenna said: "It's been an important pre-season for them, they've both made positive steps and Rekeem has made an impression across the pre-season games and in training, is fitter and has a better understanding of the game and how we play and showing an increased maturity in his game from when I first saw him in January.
"So, he's made steps forward. Obviously, there is competition in that area and he's going to have to continue to compete as he is and wait for his chances and impress when the chances do come along, so he's made good steps forward.”