BLUES are closing in on the signing of Rangers striker Kenny Miller in a cut-price deal.

And Alex McLeish is also bringing David Bentley to St Andrew’s on loan, and targeting Charlie Adam.

With hopes of signing Robbie Keane having faded, and with other targets like Jo also falling by the wayside, the Blues boss considered alternatives.

And the opportunity to go for Miller for around £600,000 was just too good to pass up for Eck.

Miller is out of contract in the summer and Rangers are keen for a quick sale.

A fee has been agreed – which could top £1.1 million with add-ons – and Blues have been given permission to talk terms with the 31-year-old.

Miller has scored 21 times for the SPL title-challengers this season.

Despite protracted negotiations, Blues and Spurs failed to agree a fee for Keane, with figures of £6 million and £7 million bandied about. And the player himself cooled on Blues, so McLeish needed to move on. Jo, of Manchester City, was among a list of candidates and Manchester United’s Federico Macheda was also subject of an unsuccessful inquiry.

But Miller is available, has experience of the Premier League from his time at Wolves (61 goals in 186 games) and Derby County, and McLeish and his staff know the player’s character inside out.

Blues are also finalising a loan for Spurs winger Bentley.

The 26-year-old is desperate to quit White Hart Lane and McLeish sees him as the kind who will be hungry to prove himself and add a dash of creativity in the final third of the field.

The move would certainly have a knock-on effect for Sebastian Larsson.