Lukas Jutkiewicz has expressed his satisfaction with Birmingham City's signing of August Priske, revealing he had no doubt the Danish striker would adapt to the Championship. The former Blues striker, now part of the club's recruitment team, gave his seal of approval before the club invested £6 million to secure Priske from Swedish side Djurgarden in January.
Jutkiewicz, who retired last year and joined the recruitment staff, was heavily involved in analyzing Priske's performances. Head coach Chris Davies has previously noted Jutkiewicz's strong support for the young forward. Speaking to Blue Rising, Jutkiewicz said, "It's really rewarding when you see the players that you've recommended getting out on the pitch performing well for our club."
Priske's Impact at Birmingham
Priske took time to settle, scoring his first goal for the club on the final day of the Championship season at Portsmouth. Despite a slow start, his aerial prowess allowed Birmingham to adjust their playing style, and he became a regular starter towards the end of the campaign. Jutkiewicz added, "It was always a question of when, not if. There was no doubt in anyone's mind here that he would start scoring goals."
The 22-year-old striker had a disallowed late winner against West Brom and hit the post, but Jutkiewicz remained confident. "You go through periods like that as a striker. It's more difficult when you join a club because the fanbase doesn't care about what you did before, which is fair enough," he explained. Jutkiewicz concluded, "I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops going into next season."
