Birmingham City have made their fourth signing of the January window, with Kerim Frei joining from Besiktas for a fee of £2.2million.
The Blues are without a win from the seven matches since Gianfranco Zola replaced Gary Rowett in the dugout, a sequence which includes an FA Cup third round exit at the hands of Newcastle United on Wednesday. They have also slipped to mid-table in the league standings, now nine points adrift of a playoff spot.
Zola has been backed by his board to turn things round, though, and has already been able to bring in three players this month. Fullback Cheick Keita has been added from Virtus Entella, forward Emilio Nsue has joined from Middlesbrough, and midfielder Craig Gardner returns to the club from West Bromwich Albion.
And it has now been confirmed that a fourth player has joined the ranks at St Andrews, with Frei joining from Besiktas for £2.2million. The Turkey international, who has five caps, is no stranger to life on these shores, having joined Fulham as a youth team player at just 17 before going on to represent the first team 33 times.
The 23-year-old winger also had a loan spell at Cardiff City, making three appearances, before finally heading to Besiktas on a permanent deal in 2013. He made over 100 first outings for the Istanbul club, and can show off a Super Lig title success from last season in which he scored four goals in his 23 appearances for the club.
