Gronkjaer set to go

Birmingham winger Jesper Gronkjaer is poised to join Atletico Madrid in a deal worth around £1.5million, according to reports in Spain.

The Danish international has endured an unhappy five months at St Andrews since moving from Chelsea in a £2.2million transfer in July.

Gronkjaer has failed to win over the Birmingham fans after a series of inconsistent performances and he failed to find the net in 16 Barclays Premiership appearances.

The Spanish Sports daily newspaper AS are claiming that Blues have agreed to let Gronkjaer move in the January transfer window for just over 2million Euros after talks between the two clubs over the weekend.

Gronkjaer is understood to have agreed to move to Spain in a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce was unavailable for comment but has admitted that Gronkjaer leaving would “be in the best interests of both parties if the fee is right”.

Bruce added: “Jesper could go away from here and do fantastically well but it hasn’t quite happened for him. That is why we have been prepared to listen and see what clubs have got to offer.

“I’m not going to say the decision to let him go is down to the fans’ reaction towards him.

“He has had a tough time since the summer with the loss of his mother and finding it difficult to adjust to a new club, a different area and a change of environment.

“For whatever reason some players do not settle. He has been terrific and not missed a day’s training and is someone if your daughter brought them home you would be delighted. But it just hasn’t quite worked out here for him.”