Coca-Cola Divisions: Birmingham

Blackburn manager Graeme Souness has revealed Birmingham are close to agreeing a �5.5million deal for England midfielder David Dunn.

Birmingham revived their bid for Dunn after Blackburn initially rejected their schedule of payments for Dunn and Souness confirmed the deal was close to being sealed.

"Birmingham have come back in for David Dunn and the two clubs are close to a deal," Souness told the BBC Sport website.

"We've had a few enquiries for David but Birmingham are the one club who has made a firm bid."

Despite Dunn falling out with Souness last season the manager admitted he would be happy for the player to remain at Ewood Park.

Souness added: "If no deal is actually agreed with another club, he will have to take that on the chin and return to us. We would have no problem with that because he is a very good player."

The Blackburn boss is close to finalising a move for Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso but will not be following up his interest in Aston Villa's Turkish centre-back Alpay.

"We inquired about Alpay, but Aston Villa were asking for too much money," said Souness.

"We have agreed terms with Rangers for Amoruso and I'm very hopeful we will do something there after I have spoken to him in the next seven days."

What a great buy this will be...If they manage to capture him....

Birmingham are starting to build a good side..

Pierre van Hooijdonk's advisor has claimed Birmingham are preparing a bid for the Dutch international.

The former Celtic and Nottingham Forest striker looks set to leave Feyenoord this summer.

Van Hooijdonk's spokesman Rob Brehler told BBC Sport: "At the moment, we have a couple of clubs taking an interest in Pierre.

"One of those is Birmingham City in England and the other is Fenerbahce in Turkey.

"But talks are still at a preliminary stage - that is all we can say at the moment."

The 33-year-old, who has 12 months left to run on his Feyenoord contract and is seeking a cut-price move away from the 2002 UEFA Cup winners, has made it clear he would relish the opportunity to return to the Premiership.

"I want to play in the Premiership but I will be angry if my price is more than �600,000," said Van Hooijdonk.

I dunno if this will be a good signing if they do go for him as he has failed before in english football...

Birmingham have joined Wolves, Portsmouth, Leicester and Middlesbrough in the race to sign West Ham's England midfielder Trevor Sinclair.

The Blues have already had a bid of �1.5m for the 30-year-old former Queens Park Rangers winger rejected by the Upton Park side.

They remain keen on Sinclair as a back-up target in the event of their long-running pursuit of Blackburn Rovers' England international midfielder David Dunn drawing a blank.

But the battle to sign Sinclair promises to be a tough one as the number of clubs who are targeting him is starting to grow.

Sinclair, who last summer helped England to their famous win over Argentina at the World Cup finals, now has five clubs on his trail.

As well as Wolves, who have made an initial enquiry to check on the availability of Sinclair, three more Premiership sides are rumoured to be keen on the versatile midfielder.

Portsmouth, whose manager Harry Redknapp had Sinclair under his control when he was in charge at Upton Park, and Middlesbrough, whose boss Steve McClaren worked with Sinclair when he was coaching England, are also believed to be determined to capture his signature.

And Leicester boss Micky Adams may also enter the chase after his midfield target Hasan Sas signed a new deal with Galatasaray.


Well this is one i wouldnt like to see happen,I though the price would be higher for him as his record at west ham has been very good and he has broke into the england squad recently...

The immediate future of Birmingham striker Stern John has been secured after the club took up a year's option on his contract.

The Trinidad & Tobago international, who top-scored for the Blues this season with nine goals, was due to end his spell at St Andrews at the end of June.

But the 26-year-old former Nottingham Forest marksman has been offered a 12-month extension to his current deal.

City co-owner David Sullivan told the Birmingham Evening Mail: "We are invoking the option we have got on Stern."

Stan Lazaridis will also be staying at St Andrews after signing a new two-year deal to keep him at the club until 2005.

The Australian has been in excellent form for the Blues this season and was a key contributor as they secured their Barclaycard Premiership status for next season with a superb run of form in the last two months of the season.

Bruce knows a good signing, I think Birmingham will be second half of the table, but I don't expect them to struggle as much as they did in their first season.

England midfielder David Dunn has agreed a four-year deal with Birmingham.

The 23-year-old will join Blues on Thursday from Barclaycard Premiership rivals Blackburn, subject to successfully completing a medical.

Dunn and his advisor spent much of Wednesday at Birmingham's Wast Hills training ground in talks with Blues managing director Karren Brady before a deal was finally concluded late this afternoon.

Well TeflonDon you may be right they are bringing in some good players and i think they should be ok for nexy season...

Blackburn midfielder David Dunn has completed his move to Birmingham after passing a medical at St Andrews.

The England midfielder underwent tests after the clubs agreed a fee, believed to be around �5.5million, and he has now put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Dunn turned down the offer of a new deal at Ewood Park and Rovers boss Graeme Souness admits he is sorry to see the player go.

Aliou Cisse is expected to be left behind when Birmingham jet out to the Far East this weekend for the FA Premier League Asia Cup in Malaysia.

The Senegal international captain was transfer listed, fined two weeks' wages and sent back to France last week by manager Steve Bruce after he failed to arrive on time for training and then reported an injury.

Cisse is still understood to be back in France weighing up his options. Both Bruce and David Gold have offered Cisse an olive branch and told him that he can still have a future at the club if he agrees to toe the line.

But Cisse could also seek to try and find a new club if he feels that his Birmingham career has reached the point of no return. Birmingham paid Paris Saint-Germain �1.5m to sign Cisse last summer after he emerged as one of the stars of last summer's World Cup Finals. His family home remains in France and a permanent return across the Channel cannot be ruled out.

But, if Cisse does move, he is understood to be keen to try and find a new club in the Premiership. Cisse became a cult hero among the fans at St Andrews during the start of his Birmingham career. But he was not seen in the team for the final five months of the season due to injury problems and there had been widespread speculation at the time over his future with the club.

Robbie Savage is confident Birmingham "can go from strength to strength", but warned that staying in the Premiership is still the top priority.

Savage knows the expectation level of the fans will be higher in 2003-04 after Blues finished 13th last season.

The Wales international is excited about what City can achieve but knows how the picture can quickly change from his time at Leicester, who achieved four successive top-10 Premiership placings but were then relegated.

Savage said: "Surviving the first season was massive for us and this team can do better than the one I played in at Leicester.

"We finished seventh or eighth at Leicester but we got carried away every season thinking we can qualify for Europe. But the main priority was to stay up and I think for the first two or three seasons here that will be the main aim.

"The supporters will be saying 'next season we can finish in Europe' but it is not going to be like that. It's going to be two or three years, make sure we stay in this division and see what happens. But I do think that Birmingham City can go from strength to strength and be a real force in this league."

Ferdinand Coly is waiting for an approach from Sunderland as he bids to kick-start his career.

The Senegal international right-back was told at the end of last season by Birmingham manager Steve Bruce that he had no long-term future at the club having struggled to make a success of his loan move from the French club, Lens.

But part of the deal that Birmingham agreed with Coly when they signed him from Lens during the frantic spell of transfer activity in January was that he would stay with them until he found a new club.

Coly came to the end of his contract with Lens last month and is now a free agent. He had been expected to move to Sunderland after The Stadium of Light boss Mick McCarthy expressed an interest in him before the end of last season.

But McCarthy's hands are currently tied by the lack of cash at Sunderland who are seeking to try and resolve the financial problems that the club have been facing since they were relegated last season.

Sunderland have to raise cash before McCarthy can bring in new faces. Ironically, Birmingham's local rivals, Aston Villa, could have an indirect role to play in the career of Coly.

New Villa boss David O'Leary is keen to sign Sunderland duo of midfielder Gavin McCann and goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen for a combined fee of �5m and if he pulls off the double deal it could allow McCarthy some scope to bring in Coly.

Argentinian striker Luciano Figueroa has agreed to join Birmingham on a five-year contract.

The 22-year-old, who joins the Blues from Rosario Central for a �2.5million fee, successfully completed a medical before concluding talks over personal terms with St Andrews managing director Karren Brady.

Figueroa - the subject of a failed bid by Rangers earlier this summer - was top scorer in his native land last season with 17 goals, including five in 7-2 win over Boca Juniors.

The deal is subject to international clearance but Figueroa, hailed by some as the new Gabriel Batistuta, is looking forward to testing himself in England's top flight.

Birmingham chairman David Gold has told Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers to lower his wage demands if he wants the chance of first-team football at St Andrews.

Gold revealed the midlands club "have an interest" in Jeffers but will not pursue it unless the former Everton forward agrees to more modest terms.

The player is thought to be on around �35,000 per week at Highbury.

Gold told the Daily Star: "It won't happen unless Jeffers takes a cut in his wages.

"If he wants to sit at Arsenal on his big contract and play golf every day, rather than get on with his career, then he can continue with that.

"Jeffers has got at most 10 years left - and losing something like 150 grand a year is not something I would see as a good career move to be honest.

"But if the alternative is sitting on your backside doing nothing, where is the motivation in that?"

Jeffers has struggled for a regular starting place with the Gunners and he is up against Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Sylvain Wiltord among others to play up front.

Michael Johnson has joined Derby from Birmingham for a nominal fee.

The 30-year-old defender found himself out in the cold last season after City reached the Barclaycard Premiership and has now opted to drop down to the First Division with Derby.

Johnson has signed a three-year contract at Pride Park, with Derby paying a nominal fee up front and further payments depending on appearances and County's success.

Darlington have signed defender Joey Hutchinson from Birmingham on a free transfer.

The 21-year-old found his chances limited under Steve Bruce.

Hutchinson made just three appearances for the Blues last season and has agreed a two-year with the Quakers

Birmingham have completed the season-long loan signing of Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Maik Taylor from Fulham.

The 31-year-old has moved to St Andrews with a view to a �1.5million permanent deal next summer.

City thought the deal had effectively been completed a week before it went through, but have had to wait until Fulham finally released his registration.

Birmingham's new signing Luciano Figueroa has set his sights on becoming Argentina's next scoring hero by producing the goods in the Barclaycard Premiership.

Figueroa has already been hailed as the new Gabriel Batistuta in Argentina after scoring 17 goals last season to top his country's scoring charts.

Batistuta and Hernan Crespo are the heroes of 22-year-old Figueroa who has just started to break into the Argentina squad as a result of his exploits in front of goal.

And he knows that his chances of becoming a regular for Argentina will improve if he shows the same sort of deadly finishing for Blues after joining on a five-year deal.

Birmingham have revealed that they have rejected a "derisory" offer from Premiership rivals Everton for tigerish midfielder Robbie Savage.

The Wales international has long been linked with a move to Goodison Park and was tipped in Sunday's press to complete a move to Merseyside ahead of the transfer deadline of 12pm Monday.

After confirming that Everton had been in contact with a bid for Savage, Blues managing director Karren Brady insisted that they had no intention of cashing in on the former Leicester City star.

Wigan boss Paul Jewell has finally brought his hunt for a striker to an end by completing the signing of Birmingham striker Geoff Horsfield.

The former Fulham and Halifax player moves to the JJB Stadium for a fee in the region of �1million and has signed a three-year deal with the club and Horsfield insists he is delighted to make the switch.

I hate Birmingham City

Two years ago this weekend Birmingham were held to a goalless draw by Crewe and languishing in 14th spot in the First Division with the Trevor Francis era about to end.

On Saturday they will head to manager Steve Bruce's former club Manchester United for a top-of-the-table showdown in the Barclaycard Premiership with Birmingham occupying fourth spot.

It is a demonstration of the remarkable turn-around in events and playing staff that has been experienced at St Andrews in a short space of time under Bruce.

The Birmingham starting 11 against Crewe was Nico Vaesen, Martin Grainger, Michael Johnson, Nicky Eaden, Bryan Hughes, David Holdsworth, Curtis Woodhouse, Andy Johnson, Geoff Horsfield and Tommy Mooney.

None of those players will be in action against the Red Devils - many have long since departed the club - and it is a sure-fire indication of the revolution that has taken place since Bruce's controversial move from Crystal Palace.

Now he will go back to a scene of his greatest triumphs feeling proud of the team he has put together and in the knowledge they can at least compete with Ruud van Nistelrooy and co.

Birmingham are currently 4th in the premiership league and have won 4 and drawn 2 games,the good thing aswell is they have only conceded 2 goals which is superb....