Blues are closing in on Coventry City striker Marlon King as they target Bosman business for the Championship campaign.

Cardiff City's Jay Bothroyd is another potential target, with both men free agents.

Add Blackpool’s David Vaughan to the mix and the plans for the summer’s opening transfer salvoes are clear.

*** Take the Birmingham City fans survey - click here ***

The move for King is certain to raise eyebrows, for a couple of reasons.

Coventry maintain they have verbal agreements with King and his agent that the 31-year-old would re-sign for them and are insisting he is going nowhere.

But King did not put pen to paper on a deal and representative Tony Finnigan issued a statement making it that his client had not committed himself.

King is expected back off holiday later this week when all should become clearer.

But Blues certainly threw a spanner into the works by making an approach for Coventry’s player-of-the-season and top-scorer, leaving the Sky Blues fuming.

Leicester City’s Sven-Goran Eriksson has also expressed interest.

Coventry thought they had seen off the Foxes, only for Blues to appear on the scene and complicate matters further.

Leicester could still be in the running too, but Blues are working feverishly to try and land their first post-relegation signing.

Blues are close to agreeing personal terms with King, believed to be around £15,000-a-week, and are hopeful of completing all the formalities after his break.

King, who netted 13 times last season, was given the chance to rebuild his career by then Coventry manager Aidy Boothroyd in September on release from prison.

He served half an 18-month sentence after sexually assaulting and punching student Emily Carr in a London nightclub.

Coventry fans protested about the move but King won them over with his performances, including a burst of 11 goals in 12 matches that catapulted them away from the Championship relegation zone.