Jake Clarke-Salter joins Birmingham on loan after extending Chelsea contract

Chelsea defender Jake Clarke-Salter will spend the season on loan at Birmingham after signing a new contract with the Premier League club.

The England Under-21s captain has agreed a new deal at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2022, the Blues announced.

A club statement read: “Jake Clarke-Salter has signed a new contract and joined Birmingham on loan for the 2019-20 season.

“The 21-year old’s Chelsea contract extension commits him to the club until at least 2022.”

Birmingham claimed they “beat off significant competition” from a handful of Championship clubs for Clarke-Salter.

Pep Clotet’s side have been in the market for a centre-back after former captain Michael Morrison left St Andrews following the end of his contract.

Clarke-Salter, who came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, has spent the previous three seasons out on loan with spells at Bristol Rovers and Sunderland followed by a year in Holland with Vitesse Arnhem.