Birmingham have been eyeing Brighton Academy prospect Jeremy Sarmiento. Sarmiento has spent the 2025/26 season so far at Cremonese. It has been a stop‑start campaign for him, with 7 Serie A appearances, 137 minutes, 0 goal contributions, and just a 6.48 average rating.
However, this move is to be de-railed by fellow Championship side Middlesbrough:
The North-East Boro side have beaten the Blues to the punch, offering £3.4m for the talented youth.
The battle has been going on for quite some time, with Middlesbrough initially hijacking The Blues’ interest in the former Ipswich Town wide man.
Middlesbrough had there lined up a move, tried to hijack the deal, and were deep enough into negotiations that Birmingham briefly thought they’d lost him.
But Boro’s move stalled, the talks fell apart, and that opened the door for Birmingham to slide back in. However, even with a deal agreed between the Blues and Brighton, Boro were able to slide back in and put their foot between a successful deal.
The then 21 year olds last Championship campaign was easily the most eye‑catching spell of his senior career.
Across his loan at Ipswich Town, he became a classic impact winger. Someone Tractor Boys gaffer, Kieran McKenna trusted to change the rhythm of games rather than control them from the start. He made 20 league appearances and chipped in with 3 goals, but the raw numbers don’t really capture how influential he was in big moments.
The defining highlight was his stoppage‑time winner against Southampton, a 97th‑minute finish that completed a 3–2 comeback and sent Ipswich back to the top of the Championship.
It was one of the most dramatic goals of the season: he slipped receiving the ball, recovered, and still guided a right‑footed shot into the corner with virtually the last kick of the match. Portman Road erupted, and the win became a symbolic moment in Ipswich’s promotion push.
That late winner summed up his role perfectly, a high‑energy, unpredictable wide forward who could tilt tight games with a burst of pace or a moment of improvisation.
Even when he wasn’t starting, he was the kind of player who forced managers to use him because he could produce something decisive in the final minutes.
World Cup pundit and former England international Andros Townsend: “He is a real talent. He likes to come inside from out on the wing and he trusted his teammates to switch the ball to him, and he can do the rest.
“He’s a problem. You can tell he has got Spanish genes with the way that he plays, as a technical player with his low centre of gravity.”
Father & Advisor Lionel: “Psychologically, he’s very strong. After Benfica, I don’t know if another player could be like this. Jeremy is ready to continue his career — humble, disciplined and with respect to everyone.
Former boss Graham Potter: “He’s got a real quality to receive the ball and play forwards; play in tight areas; the courage to take it pretty much anywhere and he can affect the goal with runs behind and finishes, so he’s a really exciting talent.
“He believes in himself, has great self-confidence, which is good.”
Clearly, Sarmiento is well liked and respected by those in and around him, Boro fans hope he can show the promise he did at Ipswich.
