Birmingham City have announced head coach Pep Clotet will leave the club at the end of the season after less than a year in charge.

The club stated on their website that a mutual agreement was reached, allowing the Spaniard to ‘explore other coaching opportunities.’

Clotet, previously assistant to ex-Blues boss Garry Monk, was appointed in June 2019 on an interim basis, following the controversial sacking of his predecessor.

As the Blues aimed to turn over a new leaf and adopt a fresh philosophy, Clotet was tasked with bringing exciting and attacking football to St Andrew’s. The board attempted to create a ‘Spanish Revolution’, signing several of Clotet’s fellow countrymen as well as assistant manager Paco Herrera, who worked with Rafa Benitez when Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005.

Despite a promising start to the season, the Blues tailed off midway through the campaign and endured a miserable Christmas period, all but ending optimism of a play-off push.

After shaking off the festive struggles, they completed a U-turn in form, going on a 13-game unbeaten run before losing to Leicester in the FA Cup.

Sitting in 16th, Birmingham are set to restart the Championship season on 20th June at Midlands rivals West Brom following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Clotet’s greatest input to the Blues was giving 16-year-old Jude Bellingham his debut and a regular place in the starting eleven. Now linked with a £30 million move to a top European club (Borussia Dortmund appear to be frontrunners), the decision to promote Bellingham could significantly benefit Birmingham’s finances.

As for a replacement, whatever decision CEO Xuandong Ren makes, Clotet’s successor must have experience of the league and an impressive record to match. Birmingham’s next boss will be their seventh manager since the disastrous sacking of Gary Rowett in 2016, and new owners Trillion Trophy Asia are yet to win over the Birmingham faithful.

The likes of Gianfranco Zola, Harry Redknapp, and Steve Cotterill have fallen well short of taking the side back to the Premier League and the club have flirted with relegation on multiple occasions. The squad possesses plenty of young talent, though, so the correct appointment could be what is required to push Birmingham closer to a top-flight return.