Hleb In Birmingham Loan Switch Fee: Loan

Birmingham City have signed the former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal.

The 29-year-old is Birmingham's sixth summer signing and the second on deadline day after they also completed a deal for the Czech defender Martin Jiranek this afternoon.

Hleb made 89 appearances for Arsenal before leaving the club to join Barcelona two years ago.

The Belarus international has struggled for first-team football in Catalonia, however, and was also farmed out on a season-long loan to the German side Stuttgart last season.

The City manager Alex McLeish described Hleb's arrival as a "major signing", less than a week after they missed out on securing the services of the Wigan Athletic winger Charles N'Zogbia.

"Hleb is a top quality player – one who at one stage we'd only actually dreamed about really," McLeish told the club's official website.

"Over the past year or so we have talked about him but with no real belief we could get him.

"We decided to give it a try and towards the end of the window we found out it might be possible.

"He is an extremely creative type who is skilful, a great dribbler and has an excellent touch and great feet.

"He has huge international experience and great pedigree due to playing for such clubs as Stuttgart, Arsenal and Barcelona.

"As with all the players we have brought to the club in recent times I'd like to thank the board for their support in making them happen."

Hleb joins fellow new signing Jiranek who joins from Russian club Spartak Moscow for an undisclosed fee, while the Chilean winger Jean Beausejour is expected to complete his transfer to St Andrew's later today.


Alexander Hleb's career:


1999-2000 - BATE - 10 apps (4 goals)
2000-2005 - Stuttgart - 137 apps (16 goals)
2005-2008 - Arsenal - 89 apps (7 goals)
2008 - Barcelona - 19 apps (0 goals)
2009-2010 - Stuttgart (loan) - 25 apps (0 goals)

International career:

2001 - Belarus - 54 apps (7 goals)