Fans spot bizarre detail in Jay Stansfield deal as Birmingham smash League One transfer record

Jay Stansfield has signed for Birmingham City for a fee that has smashed the League One transfer record - but fans have spotted an unusual detail in the deal.

According to The Telegraph's John Percy, the Blues have spent a guaranteed £15 million to sign the 21-year-old striker, who was on loan at the club last season, from Fulham.

The transfer record for the English third tier previously stood at the £3 million Sunderland paid to sign Will Grigg in 2019.

Stansfield scored 12 goals for Birmingham last season - and even scored against them in Fulham's Carabao Cup win earlier this week.

Birmingham were relegated from the Championship last season and are intent on an immediate return to the second tier given the ownership's huge spending.

But fans have spotted an unusual detail in the fee paid for Stansfield, which could rise to £20 million with add-ons.

There is a promotion bonus written into the contract worth £100,000 - and fans can't work out why the sum is so low in the context of how much Birmingham have paid to sign the striker.

One wrote: "They negotiated hard for that promotion bonus £100k."

Another agreed: "What is the point of that £100k?"

A third asked: "I assume the £100k is for the player and not Fulham?"

Speaking to Birmingham's official website after completing his return to the club, former Exeter academy star Stansfield said: "I am absolutely buzzing. It has been a long time coming, I think.

"When I left, from the awards evening [at the end of last season], the reaction from all the fans, even though it was a really tough season for Birmingham as a club and it didn't end the way we wanted it to end, I thought it was only right for me to come back here and take on this next challenge, and be part of such an amazing club and amazing project."