Wolfsburg duo Edin Dzeko and Grafite are too expensive for Birmingham City

Oct 22 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

BLUES have had to scrub deadly Wolfsburg duo Edin Dzeko and Grafite from their January transfer window wish list.

The prolific pair, who plundered 54 goals between them last season to steer Wolfsburg to the Bundesliga title, would prove too costly.

Chief scout Paul Montgomery met with Dzeko’s representatives a fortnight ago after watching him in action for Bosnia against Spain in a World Cup qualifier.

But Wolfsburg are looking for around 15 million euros for Dzeko, who scored and impressed at Manchester United in the Champions League this season and netted 26 times for the Germans last term.

As for burly Brazilian Grafite, 30, securing a work permit would have been problematic had Blues decided to proceed with a raid.

Dzeko, 23, is one of the hottest properties around at the moment and the very fact that Blues have been on his trail shows their intent under the direction of new owner Carson Yeung.

AC Milan were courting him in the summer which resulted in Wolfsburg handing over a new contract until 2013.

Grafite scored 28 goals in the most potent partnership in Bundesliga history.

McLeish is keen to secure a top striker in the New Year but Rangers’ Kris Boyd is not under consideration.

The £3.8 million fee agreed last January was primarily because he was deemed a ‘special case’, with co-owner David Sullivan seduced by his goalscoring record.

But McLeish is after better quality and he and his scouting staff have been watching various players in mainland Europe.

Dzeko, in fact, came on to the radar due to his exploits last season.

And once it was clear Yeung’s buy-out was the real deal, interest was firmed up several weeks ago, culminating in Montgomery’s meeting.