Birmingham City confirms signing of full-back Ethan Laird from Manchester United
Ethan Laird leaves Manchester United Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Birmingham City has announced the signing of 22-year-old full-back Ethan Laird.
Laird, hailing from Manchester United, has joined the Blues for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract.
Laird's move to Birmingham concludes more than a decade-long association with Old Trafford.
He joined Manchester United at age 10 and demonstrated his talent by playing various defensive positions.
He subsequently undertook four loan spells in the Football League, most recently with Queens Park Rangers during the 2022/23 season. There, he made 33 appearances across all competitions.
Earlier loan experiences saw Laird serve at Milton Keynes Dons, Swansea City, and AFC Bournemouth, whilst training with his parent club and playing for England's Under-17, Under-18, and Under-19 squads.
As a graduate of the Manchester United academy, Laird was recognized as a future talent by then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
This recognition resulted in his senior debut in the UEFA Europa League against Astana, a new contract in 2020, and a loan move to MK Dons, where he contributed an assist every six games.
The 2021/22 season saw Laird alternating between Swansea and Bournemouth, making a total of 26 league appearances and aiding Bournemouth's promotion from the second tier. This was followed by a full season at QPR.
In an interview with BluesTV, Laird commented on his transfer, "It feels great. I feel like this is important to me now, this is the time where I get to showcase myself and not really think about anything else. It is a new step, a new pathway now and I am excited to get started.”
