TWTD understands that St Etienne midfielder Guirane N’Daw passed his Blues medical earlier this afternoon. The 28-year-old Senegalese international is expected to complete a season-long loan move to Town on Friday.
As the 6ft 3in tall former Birmingham man’s switch is from an overseas club, international clearance is required which means the minutiae of the deal will take longer to complete than a domestic loan or transfer.
The Rufisque-born midfielder or centre-half, who is contracted to St Etienne until June 2013, began his career with Sochaux , with whom he won the 2007 Coupe de France.
He moved on to Nantes in 2008 before joining St Etienne initially on loan in 2009, a deal which became permanent the following summer for €4 million.
He spent the second half of 2010/11 on loan at Real Zaragoza in Spain before joining Birmingham on for the first half of the following campaign, the deal eventually being extended until the end of the season.
While with Birmingham he was absent with Senegal at the African Nations Cup for a time and sidelined with a hamstring problem, but still managed 25 starts and four sub appearances without scoring. He missed both games against Town.
Even if he signs in time, N’Daw won’t be involved at Blackpool on Saturday but depending on his fitness might join up with the squad for the Capital One Cup tie at Carlisle on Tuesday.