McLeish closes on transfer targets

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will look to put a fortnight of frustration in the transfer market behind him by completing the double-signing of Armand Traore and Martin Jiranek today.

The Blues have lodged an offer to sign 20-year-old Arsenal full-back Traore on loan until the end of the season while the club are thought to have begun negotiations with Russian side Spartak Moscow over a cut-price deal for versatile defender Jiranek, whose contract expires in December.