BARRY Ferguson will not be the last midfielder to join Blues, if Alex McLeish has his way.

The former Rangers and Scotland captain was expected to complete his £1.25 million transfer to Blues in the next 24 hours.

McLeish finally plumped for him as his central area schemer due to the cost of other targets and encouraging feedback on how the 31-year-old has been shaping up in pre-season for Rangers.

Ferguson shone in all the fitness-testing that Rangers logged, which was important to McLeish.

Having managed him for Rangers and Scotland, he knows exactly the type of player he is getting, of course, which reduces the risk element that has to be weighed up with any signing.

Ferguson’s big-game experience for the Glasgow giants, domestically and in Europe, plus his displays for Scotland on the international stage, also counted for McLeish.

Yet the Blues manager has also recognised a need for a younger, more dynamic midfielder to get up and down the pitch as well.

Ferguson, Lee Carsley (35), Lee Bowyer (32) and Damien Johnson (30) are all getting on and are of similar ilk.

Villa’s Craig Gardner, who captained England under-21s in the European Championship in Sweden, has come back into the equation.