Blues after 'trophy signing'

Birmingham were working against the clock today to land a "trophy signing" – as Roman Pavlyuchenko opened the door to reigniting a deadline-day move to St Andrew's.

Blues manager Alex McLeish admitted after Saturday's 1-1 draw with the Russia striker's current club, Tottenham, that he had all but given up on a deal after his latest offer, believed to be worth £10m, was rejected on Friday night.

However, morning reports claim the 28-year-old, whom Spurs value at £13m, is desperate to make the move to the Second City and has pleaded with White Hart Lane chief Harry Redknapp to let him go.

With the transfer window slamming shut at 5pm today, time was quickly running out for the transfer to be thrashed out – but McLeish is expected to make one last push to land one of his top January targets.

If a deal for Pavlyuchenko cannot be thrashed out, he is likely to turn his attention to Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko or Aruna Dindane of Lens, who has been on loan at Portsmouth.

The Scot had said on Saturday: "It looks like the deal is dead in the water for Pavlyuchenko. So we will concentrate on a name or two that I know and try to bring somebody in.

"It looks like we are not going to get the trophy signing we thought we might. But I think we have offered enough.

"We may now try to get a trophy signing on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. We're in a good position in the league, I don't know if I need to break the bank with Carson Yeung's money.

"If I don't end up bringing in one or two of the names you've heard about, then I'm not bringing somebody in I don't know."

But Redknapp confirmed Spurs won't budge in their asking price.

He added: "Alex McLeish hasn't spoken to me, I suppose it's gone chairman to chairman," he said. "If the chairman gets the price he wants I think we would sell him. If he doesn't get the money, he won't do the deal."

McLeish currently has only two strikers as his disposal in Cameron Jerome and Christian Benitez because of injuries to Kevin Phillips.

Ex-Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda, who is available on a free after being released by Galatasaray, is another option he is thought to be considering.