Brek Shea completes short-term loan from Stoke to Birmingham City

Brek Shea is officially a Birmingham City player, but it won't be for long. The American's loan from Stoke City is only a three-month emergency loan.

Birmingham City have suffered injuries to Lee Novak, Denny Johnstone and Olly Lee, leaving them short on options through the midfield, and especially on the left wing, which Shea can help with. But Shea doesn't appear to just be a panic signing. Blues manager Lee Clark has been high on him for quite some time, so maybe this could turn into something more.

"I've been chasing Brek for a while and actually wanted to sign him permanently at the start of the season," Clark told bcfc.com. "He impressed me when he played for Barnsley here at St. Andrew's on New Year's Day and, given our recent injuries, it made sense to make this loan move, importantly with no recall clause being something that I have stressed all along."

So maybe Shea will be at Birmingham longer than three months? Stoke have zero use for him so they would be inclined to sell in January if Birmingham are willing to pony up, or maybe they could extend the loan out until the summer. It is also an opportunity just to play, get back in form and showcase himself to other clubs, and maybe another English team, or even those from Germany or the Netherlands, will come calling in January.

In the meantime, thank heavens Shea has a club where he can play, even if only in the short-term. If the Czech Republic friendly taught us anything, it's that Shea desperately needs time on the pitch because his form is gone.