Cameron Jerome ends speculation by signing new Blues deal

Jul 13 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

CAMERON Jerome has agreed a new contract with Blues that ends doubt over his immediate future.

The striker has penned a three-year extension, a sure sign that Alex McLeish and the club see him being an important part of team-building plans.

Jerome and his agent opened talks with Blues several weeks ago as he only had next season left at St Andrew’s, although there was a two-year option after that.

But negotiations reached a stalemate and rumours began to surface that he could be on his way.

However, both Jerome, 22, and Blues said they were pretty relaxed about the state of the affairs.

Jerome told the Birmingham Mail he felt ‘sure it would all take care of itself’ and that prediction has been proven correct.

He scored nine goals in helping Blues to runners-up in the Championship last season.

He popped up with vital strikes and did a useful turn at right wing for a spell.

Last time in the Premier League, he netted seven goals, five away from home, putting him just behind leading scorer Mikael Forssell, whose tally of nine was boosted by a hat-trick against Spurs.

Jerome is not a prolific goal-getter but in the modern game few players are and his big attributes of pace and power often upset defences and create holes for others.

Blues have always tended to boast a surfeit of options up front in the Championship, too, so getting a sustained run in the team has never been easy for any striker.

The former England Under-21 international has not been able to hold down a regular place in the Blues side, more or less ever since he arrived from Cardiff City in a £3.5 million deal in 2006.

Yet there have been plenty of clubs willing to take Jerome off Blues’ hands, and McLeish knows that his raw, muscular talent and sheer speed can be a boon in the Premier League.

Jerome has made 123 appearances all told for Blues – 50 as substitute – and scored 26 times.

With his future resolved, attention will once more turn to Sebastian Larsson’s situation after his agent hinted he might want out.

Blues have left a five-year deal on the table since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2008.

It has remained unsigned and last season Larsson had to bite the bullet and accept he would not be sold.

His form early on was clearly affected, but he came good at the end.

However, the last thing McLeish and Blues will want now is such speculation again surrounding the Swedish international winger.

His contract expires in May but there is also a 12-month option thereafter.

Per Jonsson, his representative, said the 24-year-old was focusing on Blues but there was interest in him.

He said: “We are going to have a meeting and work out how we are going to go forward.”