Bruce can't wait for Dunn to return

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has admitted it will be “like having a new £5m (€7.4m) player” when midfielder David Dunn is available again for first-team action.

Former England U21 captain Dunn is being lined up for a senior comeback in the second city derby with Aston Villa at St Andrews in the Barclays Premiership on October 16.

As predicted, Dunn’s return has been delayed for a week and he is now expected to play for the reserves against Middlesbrough on October 3 after initially being pencilled in for the second-team clash with West Brom last night.

Bruce is mindful of taking no chances after Dunn has eased his way gradually back to fitness after eight months out following back surgery.

He said: “We are not going to rush Dunny. The main thing is to get him back on the pitch but we want to make to sure he is 100% right.

“We’ll look at the next reserve game for him and there are a couple of free weeks after our Premiership game at Arsenal this weekend because of the internationals to continue to build him up in the right way.

“He’s as fit as he has ever been in terms of general fitness because he’s done six weeks of really intensive pre-season type of stuff.

“Of course, he needs games and we can try and get those behind closed doors to help. His return will give everyone a lift and it will be like having a new £5million player.

“I’m repeating myself but he does make a difference to us, as do the other players like Muzzy Izzet and Mikael Forssell who were out for most of last season.

“We had one of our best spells when Dunny was fit and playing well a couple of years ago.”