Birmingham City have opted against signing striker Christian Benitez on a permanent basis.
No deal for striker as five more players released
Birmingham City have opted against signing Christian Benitez on a permanent basis following the end of his loan spell at St Andrews.
Benitez has been allowed to return to Mexican side Santos Laguna, while Blues manager Alex McLeish has released a further five players at the end of a successful season in the Premier League.
Ecuador striker Benitez joined Birmingham with a view to a permanent deal last summer and scored three goals in 30 Premier League appearances.
But, despite featuring prominently in the top flight, he has not done enough to convince McLeish to pay in excess of £5million for a permanent deal.
Joining Benitez in leaving St Andrews over the summer are Franck Queudrue, Gary McSheffrey, Gregory Vignal, Artur Krysiak and Jared Wilson.
Experienced French defender Queudrue, who joined the club from Fulham in 2007, featured regularly during the early weeks of the season before finishing the campaign out on loan at Colchester United.
Queudrue's compatriot Vignal linked up with Birmingham last summer from Lens, but the former Liverpool full-back made just nine appearances for the club.
McSheffrey started only once in the League during the past season and also undertook a spell on loan at Leeds United earlier this year.
Polish goalkeeper Krysiak has been offered a permanent deal by Burton Albion after spending the season on loan at the League Two club, while full-back Wilson made just one senior appearance for Birmingham.
