Injury worries linger for Birmingham City’s Paik Seung-ho as South Korea steps in

Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho, 29, has been ruled out after the South Korean Football Association issued a statement on his wellbeing, leaving the Blues uncertain of his availability for the upcoming West Bromwich Albion game. The South Korean star has logged seven goals and six assists in 124 appearances for the club.

Paik’s career and contract

Paik Seung-ho is a product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy and arrived at St. Andrew’s after signing from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors during Tony Mowbray’s brief tenure. He has spent the last two-and-a-half years at Birmingham, signing a contract extension two years ago that runs until June 2028, the deal coming in the club’s League One title‑winning season.

Birmingham’s season and upcoming clash

The Championship is currently in a three‑week fixture gap following a calendar‑wide restructure approved in 2023. Birmingham have lost only one of their first eight matches but have drawn the majority, including a recent draw with Middlesbrough at St. Andrew’s. Chris Davies’ side sit 10th, two places and two points behind the final play‑off spot, with a return to action against local rivals West Bromwich Albion on 10 October.

Injury fallout and squad implications

Paik, who scored the winner at Derby County on 12 September, now faces an unspecified injury after being an unused substitute against Ecuador and missing the Uruguay game. The South Korean FA said: “Following a meeting with the coaching staff and medical team, it was determined that Paik Seung‑ho needs to recover rather than play in the remaining matches. For the protection of the player, he is scheduled to return to his club team.”

Last season the midfielder aggravated a shoulder problem twice, rejected surgery advice, and still featured at the FIFA World Cup, where his three appearances generated a six‑figure windfall for Birmingham. His intermittent availability this term has already forced manager Chris Davies to reshuffle the midfield.

Other squad concerns include Jhon Solis, who is on Colombia duty but did not feature against Mexico, and injuries to Max Bird and Taylor Gardner‑Hickman. Bird, signed from Bristol City in August, is sidelined with a lower‑leg injury, while Gardner‑Hickman has not played since the pre‑season match at Burton Albion but is expected back soon.

Fan pundit Jason Moore argues that Paik and fellow Korean Tomoki Iwata are no longer first‑choice options, especially once Bird regains fitness. The debate over Paik’s long‑term future at St. Andrew’s continues to dominate Blues forums.

Benedict, who graduated with a 2:1 (Hons) in Multimedia Journalism at the University of Wolverhampton in September 2024, later earned a Merit in an MA in Sports Journalism at Coventry University in 2025. He previously covered Rugby League and non‑league football for various sites and interned with Wolves’ Academy between 2023 and 2025.

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