Blues 'very close' to Pandiani deal

Birmingham remain confident of completing a permanent deal for Deportivo La Coruna striker Walter Pandiani.

The Uruguayan spent the second half of last season on loan at St Andrews and impressed boss Steve Bruce.

The deal is expected to be confirmed before Blues face Depor in a pre-season friendly on Friday, and there could be an announcement within the next 24 hours.

Pandiani, 29, has extensive experience of Spanish football after spending three and a half seasons with Depor plus a successful year on loan at Real Mallorca, but he soon looked at home during his four-month stint with Birmingham last term.

Depor arrive in England tomorrow ahead of their Intertoto Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle, and if a deal for Pandiani is not struck before then, talks could progress while Spanish club officials are in the country.

Speaking at the weekend, boss Bruce revealed he had almost closed out the transfer, declaring a final agreement to be “very close” while revealing he was also optimistic about adding a midfielder to his squad before the start of the season.

Newcastle’s Lee Bowyer came close to joining Birmingham in June but an internet campaign against the 28-year-old former Leeds midfielder dissuaded him from signing.

Bruce later declared himself eager to revive that deal, but three weeks have passed since he expressed those hopes and he has not yet revealed his current midfield target.