Birmingham City land Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Osman on loan from Brighton
Birmingham City have confirmed the signing of Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Osman on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the 2025–26 season, subject to the necessary clearances, as the Championship club continues to reshape its squad in the January transfer window.
The 21-year-old arrives at St Andrew’s after Brighton opted to recall him from a season-long loan spell at French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre, where he featured 16 times in the league and registered two assists during the first half of the campaign. His move makes him Birmingham’s third signing of the window, following the arrivals of Kai Wagner and Jhon Solis, as manager Chris Davies strengthens his options for the second half of the season.
Osman is expected to add pace, athleticism and directness to Birmingham’s attack, qualities that first brought him to prominence during his time in Denmark. Born in Accra and a graduate of Ghana’s Right to Dream Academy, he began his professional career with FC Nordsjælland after moving to Europe in 2023. It was during the 2023–24 season that he enjoyed a breakout campaign, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in 44 appearances across all competitions.
Those performances attracted interest from several clubs across Europe, with Brighton securing his signature on a permanent deal in 2024 for a reported fee of around £16 million. Although he is yet to make his Premier League debut for the Seagulls, Osman has gained valuable experience through a series of high-profile loan moves aimed at accelerating his development.
He spent the 2024–25 season with Dutch giants Feyenoord, where he made 22 Eredivisie appearances, contributed to six goal involvements and featured seven times in the UEFA Champions League. A subsequent loan move to Auxerre offered him exposure to French football, though limited starts in Ligue 1 prompted Brighton to seek a new environment where he could secure more regular playing time.
For Birmingham City, the arrival of Osman represents a significant boost as the club looks to climb the Championship table and mount a push towards the play-off places in the closing months of the season. His versatility across the front line gives Davies additional tactical options as Blues seek greater cutting edge in attack.
Osman, who has already earned three senior caps for the Ghana national team, will also see the move as an opportunity to showcase his talent in English football and continue his development in one of Europe’s most competitive second-tier leagues. Birmingham are next in action away to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, although the fixture may come too soon for the winger to make his debut.
