Birmingham are poised to step up their bid to sign Aston Villa central defender Liam Ridgewell.
Blues manager Steve Bruce was interested in signing Ridgewell during the January transfer window after off-loading Matthew Upson to West Ham for £7million.
Now he is keen to revive his bid to land the 22-year-old who came through the academy ranks at Villa.
Ridgewell was a key figure during the first half of last season after playing the majority of the 2005-2006 campaign.
But he slipped down the pecking order in the New Year following the return to fitness of Gary Cahill and Martin Laursen.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill is unlikely to stand in the way of former England Under-21 international Ridgewell who could be off-loaded for around £2million.
Bruce is looking to bolster his central defensive options following the decision of Bruno N'Gotty to move to Leicester and has already acquired Stuart Parnaby from Middlesbrough on a Bosman transfer.
He has been also interested in Arsenal's Johan Djourou in a possible loan deal although Arsene Wenger is still weighing up whether to agree to such a move.
And the wage demands of Titus Bramble moved him out of City's price range before he moved from Newcastle to Wigan on a three year contract.
Bruce has had a joint £5million bid rejected already by West Brom for Jason Koumas and Diomansy Kamara.
source:soccernet