Birmingham City have completed the £8.5 million signing of Japanese attacker Shuto Machino from Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel — a player who, last season, managed to outscore Liverpool’s record signing Florian Wirtz in the German top flight .
Machino earned 11 Bundesliga goals from 23 starts, surpassing Wirtz’s total despite the German midfielder being one of Europe’s most expensive transfers at around £116 million to Liverpool in June 2025 . Holstein Kiel demanded a fee of €10 million (about £8.5 million), having allowed a much lower release clause to lapse at the end of May. The club’s sporting director noted they’ve reached what he described as their “pain threshold” on the valuation .
At 23, Machino is a versatile forward capable of playing centrally, on the wing, or in the number 10 position — offering Birmingham City a dynamic attacking option to support and relieve pressure on Jay Stansfield and others up front . Described by Kiel’s coach as a “true goalscorer” with finishes from both feet and his head, he also impressed with smart free-kicks and instinctive movement in the box .
This move reflects Birmingham’s ambition in the Championship, prioritising a high-upside talent who delivered more goals than one of the rising stars of German football — at a fraction of Wirtz’s hefty transfer fee.
