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Come Fan with UsSunday, June 28, 2026

Hleb: I Had Options, Though Nobody Else Really Wanted Me

Alexander Hleb has moved to Birmingham City, it was announced today, though he wants to make to clear to you: He could have gone so many other places.

↵There he was, staring at Champions League football and a return to London with Spurs. He could have gone to a league champion, had Champions League competition in beautiful Lisbon with Benfica. Or, he could have done to one of the most storied clubs in the world: Liverpool.

↵Instead, Alexander Hleb has been loaned from Barcelona to Birmingham City, a club with all the appeal of the Liverpools of the world.

↵And it was his choice, damn it!

↵Or not. What the …?

↵↵“I wasn’t able to come to an agreement with one of them,” he continued. “But Birmingham clearly wanted to do the deal more than the others, which is why I made my choice.”

↵↵So you could have gone there, if they actually wanted you?

↵Makes sense. Now.

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