Birmingham City’s Carlos Vicente says the Championship side have helped him settle in quickly in England.
The Spaniard spent his entire playing career in his home country before joining the Blues from Deportivo Alavés in January.
Birmingham City invested around €8m and seeing them snatch the forward from the La Liga side resulted in anger from certain sections of the Spanish media.
Two months ago, Alavés sporting director Sergio Fernández explained selling the 26-year-old wasn’t entirely their decision.
At that time, he said: “He was a very important player for us. But sometimes situations arise that force us to make decisions. Financially, we have to be responsible and also address the concerns and needs expressed by the player.”
Settling in well at Birmingham City
AS published an interview with Carlos Vicente to discuss several topics, including his move to Birmingham City and life in England so far.
The January signing says Chris Davies’ side did everything to make him comfortable.
When asked about his adaptation in England, he said: “Very well. The club has done everything possible to help me during these months.”
“Although we’ve gone through a rough patch both collectively and personally, I already feel very comfortable. My life here is very quiet, and I dedicate myself to training, resting, eating well, reading, and studying.”
The Blues are now 14th in the Championship, 12 points behind sixth placed Hull City. The Spaniard is aware the promotion isn’t on cards this season but still continues to dream of making it to the Premier League.
“This season, yes, but it’s still my biggest dream. It was one of the reasons I chose to come here. If I didn’t know the club had that objective, I probably would have made a different decision. We have a good foundation to try and make the leap next season,” Vicente explained.
Birmingham City player on Brady call
NFL legend Tom Brady has been the English club’s minority owner since 2023. Carlos Vicente is a fan of the American, but his call didn’t make the difference when joining Birmingham City.
“No. I was thrilled, but it didn’t influence my professional decision at all. He’s one of my idols and one of the five greatest athletes of all time, but it didn’t sway my decision in the slightest,” he added.
AS asked whether he was more affected from Brady’s call than, say, receiving one from Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
Responding to that, Vicente said: “Yes, definitely. I’m a huge NFL fan, and Brady is a role model for me in every way. It felt incredible to be able to talk to him. I was already in Birmingham, and the sporting director handed me his phone, and it was a video call.
“When I saw his face, I was blown away. I’m passionate about American sports, both the NFL and the NBA, and Brady is a megastar who has always impressed me.”
Vicente’s stats
Carlos Vicente has played 15 matches for Birmingham City so far, including one in the FA Cup.
His Championship stats are as follows:
- Appearances: 14
- Starts: 7
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 1
