Forssell hopes to settle future

Birmingham striker Mikael Forssell is hoping his future can be resolved before the end of the season.

Forssell’s current contract expires in the summer although there is a two-year option which can be taken up if both parties are agreeable.

But the Finnish international would be content if the matter could be sorted out one way or the other in the next few weeks.

He will go into tonight’s Barclays Premier League match at Portsmouth brimming with confidence after scoring a hat-trick against Tottenham.

Forssell said; “Karren Brady (Birmingham managing director) wants to get in contact with myself and my agent. That is where it stands at the moment.

“We haven’t spoken about it at all but hopefully that might be resolved before the end of the season. It depends a lot on what the club wants and what I want.

“There is a two-year option on the contract. It is quite straight-forward. It is not just in Birmingham’s favour. It is a mutual thing so we’ve got to have a talk about that.”

In addition to Forssell, Blues manager Alex McLeish has to sort out the future of several players in the next couple of months.

Midfielder Mehdi Nafti, defender Radhi Jaidi and keeper Maik Taylor are also out of contract in the summer although Nafti and Jaidi have a one-year option in the club’s favour.

McLeish has indicated he would like to retain Nafti even though he is currently being kept out of the side by Damien Johnson and Fabrice Muamba.

The former Scotland boss has also to decide whether to pursue interest in making permanent the signing of loan players Rafael Schmitz and Mauro Zarate from Lille and Al-Sadd respectively.

McLeish said: “Nafti is one I would like to see staying. He started really well for me.

“I really like him. He has been out of the team because he was away in the Africa Nations Cup and, since he got back, Johnson and Muamba have played well.”

“We will address scenarios with other players in due course.”