The rise of Jon Toral

The arrival of Jon Toral at Birmingham City back in July 2015 was met with some hasty comments from fans who were unaware of the talent that the club were receiving.

Well, the hasty comments have disappeared as the season has gone on with the performances of the on loan Arsenal man getting better and better by the week.

Aged 20, Toral still has a lot to learn about the English game but at the end of the current campaign his understanding will be far greater than it was when he joined Gary Rowett`s side.

Previously, the former Barcelona academy product had been on loan at Birmingham City`s fellow Sky Bet Championship side Brentford, but his development wasn`t as rapid there as it has been in B9.

During his time with the Bee`s, Toral scored six goals in 37 appearances for the London club, a tally that he has already reached in the current season with the Blues and he has only played 25 times in all competitions.

Birmingham fans were treated to a feast of fantastic performances during the Spaniards opening two games when he netted against both Reading and Burnley as Rowett`s side began the season strongly.

The playmaker has significantly grown during his time with Blues and there is no doubt that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is watching him progress week after week.

It is a well-known fact amongst the Blues faithful that Toral is out of contract at the end of the season and due to the current style of football he is playing, the fans and management will be hoping that they can secure his services on a permanent basis in the summer.

As it stands, because of his growing reputation in the second tier of English football, Toral has seen his market value rocket and if he were to be sold by the Premier League giants before the end of the season, he would be worth double what they paid Barcelona, which was £300,000.

The addition of Diego Fabbrini to the Birmingham City ranks will see Toral have more competition for a starting place, but it could improve him as a player even further.

The competition for places is sure to bring out the best in Toral and it will most certainly reiterate Rowett`s comments that he made after the 3-0 win against Ipswich Town when he said the youngster has been the difference in games over the past few weeks.

With four assists to his name, Toral is a crucial part of what Birmingham City do both at St.Andrews and away from home, and it is difficult to imagine where they would be in the table without his fantastic performances of late.

His link-up play with Clayton Donaldson in recent weeks has been superb and it has seen him be involved in some key performances for Blues against Derby County and Ipswich.

The goals and assists that he has contributed to the side has seen Birmingham work their way up to seventh in the league and it is a credit to Rowett and his squad for what they have done this season.

Blues fans, how much have you been impressed with Jon Toral during his time with the club? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!