One to Watch – Lukas Jutkiewicz

Name: Lukas Jutkiewicz
Date of Birth: 28/03/1989
Previous Clubs: Swindon Town, Everton, Plymouth (L), Huddersfield (L), Motherwell (L), Coventry, Middlesbrough, Bolton (L), Burnley.
Apps (Goals): 315 (68)

Since making his debut for Swindon Town just a couple of weeks after his 17th birthday almost 11 years ago, Birmingham striker Lukas Jutkiewicz has represented 10 different clubs across England and Scotland, and he`s had no problem settling in at the Blues since joining the club on loan in the summer.

Having been signed for the season by former Blues boss Gary Rowett, he made his switch to St. Andrew`s permanent last month when the transfer window opened, becoming Gianfranco Zola`s first signing as the club`s manager, moving from Burnley on a three-and-a-half-year deal for a reported £1million fee.

With 11 goals to his name this season, 10 of which have come in the Championship, the striker leads the way in the club`s goalscoring charts, and he netted his second goal for the Blues this campaign in the 1-1 draw at Loftus Road back in September, heading into an empty net at the backpost to open the scoring.

He also netted the winner in Birmingham`s last match on home soil, as they saw off 10-man Fulham 1-0 two weeks ago, and has established himself as the main attacking focal point ahead of partner Clayton Donaldson, who has six league goals to his name this term.

Jutkiewicz began his career with Swindon, for whom he netted five goals in 38 league appearances, helping the club gain promotion to League One at the end of the 2007/2008 campaign, before a move to the Premier League with Everton, signing a four-year deal for a fee supposedly rising to £1million.

He remained at Goodison Park for three years, but made just one appearance for David Moyes` side, coming on in the final few minutes of a league win against Sunderland, and spent a large portion of his time at the club out on loan, making temporary switches to Plymouth, Huddersfield and Motherwell.

After 12 goals for the Scottish club during the 2009/2010 season, he left Everton with a year remaining on his contract for then Championship side Coventry for an undisclosed fee, and it was at the Sky Blues that he has played the majority of his league football to date, scoring 18 times over a season and a half.

In January 2012, he joined fellow Championship side Middlesbrough, initially on an emergency loan deal before making his move permanent a few days later for a reported £1.3million fee, signing to the club on a four-and-a-half-year deal, but once again, he would be on the move before the end of his contract.

After 14 goals in all competitions om Teesside, he joined Bolton on loan for the second half of the 2013/2014 season, and on his return to Boro, where he was deemed surplus to requirements, Burnley, just promoted to the top-flight, parted with £1.5million to bring him to Turf Moor for three years.

Having failed to find the net in two years for the Clarets, the second of which was back in the Championship following their immediate return the previous campaign, and Andre Gray and Sam Vokes ahead of him in the pecking order, he was allowed to leave for current club Birmingham in August.