Ibrahim Osman has been given the all clear to finish his Birmingham City loan spell by playing in the final match of the Championship season at Portsmouth on Saturday. The Ghanaian winger, on loan from Brighton, sustained a head injury against Preston but has now followed concussion protocols and is set to return to the squad.
Davies confirms Osman availability
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Birmingham City manager Chris Davies confirmed: "There's no injury concerns and Osman is available." The Blues travel to Fratton Park for a 12:30pm kick-off, aiming to finish the season on a high. A draw or win would secure Birmingham their best Championship points tally since the 2011/12 campaign, with the team currently able to finish anywhere between 12th and ninth.
Selection dilemma for Davies
Davies faces a decision on whether to reinstate Osman on the left wing after Demarai Gray impressed in his absence. Gray provided an assist and hit the woodwork with a free-kick in last weekend's 2-1 victory over Bristol City. Despite Gray's strong performance, Osman has been one of Blues' standout performers since joining in January, and Davies has expressed a strong desire to bring the 21-year-old back to St Andrew's for next season.
Discussing the prospect of re-signing Osman last week, Davies said: "The best place for him is somewhere he's loved and is going to play, get minutes and keep growing. I'd love him to come back but there's a lot of moving parts there so we'll see."
Birmingham City fans will be eager to see Osman feature in the season finale, as the team looks to end the campaign on a positive note and build momentum for the future.
