Free agent former Blues striker Darren Bent has said he is open to a return to Town, the club where he started his career.
The Blues are short on frontmen at present after injuries to ex-skipper Jon Walters, who had come back on loan from Burnley, and Ellis Harrison.
Town can only sign free agents between now and the January transfer window opening and Bent, now 34, is currently in that position having been released by Derby in May, despite speaking to a number of clubs during the summer.
Bent, who spent the second half of last season on loan in the Championship with Burton, scoring twice in 10 starts and five sub appearances, says he’d speak to his old club if they were to show interest.
"There’s been no contact, but obviously it’s something I would be open to,” He told the EADT.
"It’s a club close to my heart. That’s where it all started for me, I had a lot of good days there and a great relationship with the fans. Never mind it being one of the results I look for every week, it’s the first result I look for.”
Despite not playing this season, Bent insists he’s not as unfit as might be thought: "I trained with Burton over the summer, played some pre-season games, had a couple of charity matches and have been doing my own gym work.
"I don’t think general fitness would be an issue, it would just take a little bit of time to get that match sharpness back.”
Speaking shortly after Walters suffered the achilles injury which curtailed his loan spell, Blues manager Paul Hurst played down the chances of bringing in a free agent frontman.
"The danger is that we’re now almost into October and that’s a long time, unless the situation is different somehow, to have not played and not been fit and I would suggest it would take a good month to get someone fit,” he said.
"You could argue you’ve got a couple of months to work with them but it’s not an ideal situation, that’s for sure.
"I wouldn’t rule it out but at the same time I think it would be difficult to perhaps find that person that we think can contribute and not by just being a name but by being in good shape and in the position to really help the squad and the team.”
However, talking ahead of last week’s home game against Middlesbrough, Hurst admitted it was something which might be looked at.
"We’ll keep looking, but at the minute the priority is the game and then arrangements ready for our long trip to Swansea,” he said.
"But people are looking at things and will be taking calls etc to see if there’s anything which can help us along the way.”
Bent came through the academy at Playford Road and went on to make 106 starts and 25 sub appearances for Town between 2001 and 2005, scoring 55 goals.
In addition to Derby and his loan spell at Burton, the Cambridge-raised striker has played for Charlton, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Fulham (loan) and Brighton (loan) as well as winning 13 full England caps in which he scored four times.