When Birmingham City signed Iceland international Willum Willumsson in the summer of 2024, anticipation ran high. Part of a remarkable intake of 17 new players, Willumsson was seen as a key piece in the club’s ambitious push back toward the Championship and ultimately the Premier League.
The Blues secured Willumsson’s signature from Go Ahead Eagles, where he had impressed in the Eredivisie and attracted attention from top Dutch clubs like Ajax. While Birmingham denied the rumored £3.7 million transfer fee, they clearly invested significantly in the promising midfielder.
Standing out as a uniquely physical and technical number 10, Willumsson ended his League One season with six goals and six assists. Though his start was sensational, a mid-season injury caused a dip in form. Manager Chris Davies maintained faith in his qualities and gambled on Willumsson to adapt and shine in the Championship.
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Unfortunately, the physical demands of English football proved taxing. Willumsson admitted to being surprised by the intensity, and a September injury sidelined him for three months. By his return, Birmingham City was struggling, and he was unable to influence their fortunes. His final start came in a 3-0 defeat at Watford on New Year’s Day, where he was substituted at halftime.
In late January, Willumsson moved back to the Netherlands, joining NEC Nijmegen for a fraction of what Birmingham originally paid. The move made sense given his Eredivisie track record, but the transition was far from smooth.
At NEC, the 27-year-old played sparingly, featuring in only four league matches and spending the last nine fixtures mostly on the bench. Sander Janssen, a Dutch football expert, explains that with the team’s strong and settled lineup, the manager had little reason to alter his starting eleven. Although Willumsson’s physical traits could have been useful in some matches, he was overlooked.
Willumsson’s notable moment came as a substitute in the KNVB Cup final, where NEC suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to AZ Alkmaar. Despite the loss, NEC secured third place in the Eredivisie, earning a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds next season.
There remains a faint hope that Willumsson will feature on Europe’s biggest club stage. However, NEC plans to bolster their squad with top-tier players, and competition is fierce in Willumsson’s preferred positions, currently occupied by captain Tjaronn Chery, top scorer Bryan Linssen, and emerging talent Noé Lebreton.
With a packed schedule ahead, rotation could offer Willumsson opportunities to regain form and fight for a place — but his road to redemption will require resilience and determination.