First team coach Bryan Klug has confirmed that the Blues are continuing their search for a loan striker and central defender. However, Klug says that it is proving difficult to persuade Premier League players to drop down a division.

The former academy chief said the Blues have asked about plenty of players, but so far without success: "Some of those reasons you can understand, some you shake your head in amazement, but at the end of the day we only want players at this football club who want to be here.

"Personally speaking, I would have thought that with football being a short career, you would want to be playing games. That's what you train for every day, to play.

"Some of the players have shown a lack of ambition as far as I'm concerned in not coming here - or they have been badly advised, which is probably the main reason.

"Agents perceive that a move to the Championship is not a good move for their client's career. That is the modern game now.”

Elsewhere, Hull City have made an approach for Fulham's David Healy, a player widely believed to be on Jim Magilton's loan wish-list.

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