Birmingham ready to spend after sealing survival

Alex McLeish is hoping to reap the benefits of Birmingham’s strong form this season by starting his summer recruitment drive early.

Blues owner Carson Yeung has promised substantial funds for strengthening the squad and McLeish is already focusing on potential targets with the club — widely tipped to struggle at the start of the season — having secured their top flight status with six matches to spare.

“We should be able to steal a march in terms of getting some new staff in,” said McLeish, the former Rangers and Scotland manager. “We certainly wouldn’t be able to do this if we were scrapping away at the bottom of the league and not knowing what division we were going to be in next season.

“But we have put some plans in operation and, depending on who goes out of the club, we may need to sign about six to seven players.”

McLeish added: “”We are trying to be ahead of the game and there are things that are ongoing.

“There are no shortage of players we are being recommended and there are DVDs piled high on my desk.

“I cannot possibly watch everything and I have got to try and sort out the wheat from the chaff and try to shorten the list.

“We are down the road with one or two, and have had some targets for some time, but I’ve not made my mind up on everything yet.”

McLeish also has to make decisions on the future of several current players including former Arsenal player Sebastian Larsson, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Maik Taylor and veteran striker Kevin Phillips.