Several Championship clubs and European sides have shown an interest in Omar Rekik this summer, and he remains one to watch this week.

Darren Witcoop of Reach PLC reports that Arsenal’s Omar Rekik is one to keep an eye on ahead of the transfer deadline later this week, with several Championship clubs and European sides already making their interest in him known this summer.

At one stage, Birmingham City appeared to be leading the race for the centre-back.

Chris Wheatley reported for NationalWorld TV that Birmingham were highly interested in signing Omar Rekik on loan, and they were confident they’d be able to do so very soon.

FC Basel in Switzerland had also expressed an interest in Rekik, which delayed the Birmingham deal.

Yet over a month later, neither side has managed to seal a transfer.

Back in July, Birmingham-based sources denied the links to Rekik. BirminghamLive reported that they’d been informed Rekik isn’t currently on the Blues’ agenda, and the club were in fact more interested in bringing Auston Trusty back.

Trusty spent time on loan from Arsenal last season, winning Birmingham City’s Supporters’ Player of the Season award after a strong campaign, but he ended up joining Sheffield United this summer.

Rekik has a deal with Arsenal until 2025, so if the reports indicating a move to Birmingham turn out to be correct, then another season on loan would still leave him under contract upon his return.

Rekik started out the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Sparta Rotterdam, but after struggling for consistent minutes with the Dutch side, he was recalled and loaned to Wigan Athletic in January.

Rekik played 11 times for Wigan, making 10 starts, and from March until the end of the season he never had more than one consecutive game out of the team.

The defender seemed to make a good impression with the club, and he needs a consistent run of games regardless of his destination this summer.