Birmingham City boss to pick at bones of relegated Premier League sides

May 26 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

But on closer inspection of McLeish’s comments at a Banks’s/BRMB forum, he was actually using Wheater as another example of how difficult it would be to get players in. Yes, Blues have been watching Wheater but, no, they wouldn’t be able to meet a suspected asking price of £8 million or so.

Midfielder Julio Arca could be appealing and although Blues were in for striker Tuncay two years ago when he left Fenerbahce on a free transfer, they were understandably frightened off by a £60,000-a-week salary demand.

Winger Adam Johnson is someone Blues have been monitoring for a long while. At Newcastle United, Steven Taylor is admired by Blues but realistically would probably cost too much for them to be serious contenders to tempt him from the North East in the wake of their Premier League relegation.

Same applies to Sebastien Bassong, Newcastle’s best player this season.David Edgar could be a target as he is out of contract next month and known to be unsettled.

McLeish is seeking a couple of centre-halves to go straight into the team and an up-and-coming defender who can be nurtured, if not force his way in immediately.

A top target, Oguchi Onyewu, helped Standard Liege retain their Belgium title with a 1-0 second leg play-off win over Anderlecht on Sunday.

Available on a free transfer, Onyewu is being courted by a host of clubs and Blues, who have held talks with his representatives, must now decide whether to proceed full steam ahead.