Kevin Phillips ready to leave Blues

Birmingham striker Kevin Phillips has accepted his days at St Andrew's may be numbered after manager Alex McLeish told him he can leave the club.

The 37-year-old former Albion forward signed a one-year extension to his contract last summer but missed the start of the season with a thigh injury and has made only eight appearances this term, scoring once.

Phillips said: "I've had a chat with the manager and he's said that I can go if the right offer comes along.

"It's a bit disappointing but I accept that, at this stage in my career, perhaps I need to be playing games.

"I've always said that, if the right offer comes along, I'll definitely have a look at it."

The striker also defended Darren Bent over his controversial £24million move to Villa, which was completed yesterday.

Bent was criticised by his manager at Sunderland, Steve Bruce, who claimed the club and supporters were entitled to feel "massively let down" by the England international.

But Phillips, who played more than 200 games for Sunderland and also spent a season with Villa, offers another theory.

He said: "When I first looked at it, I thought it must be about money. The more I thought about it, the more it think that Villa have really sold the club to him.

"Fair play to him, he's obviously doubled his wages and he's going to be well looked after, but the pressure on his shoulders is going to be immense."