Town manager Paul Lambert says new loan addition James Bree will add competition and knowledge of the Championship. The 21-year-old signed on loan for the rest of the season from Aston Villa yesterday.
Bree is the Blues’ sixth loanee, a situation Lambert has admitted is far from ideal, and something he has insisted he will try to avoid in future, but he says it’s something he will have to deal with over the remaining months of the season as he looks to see Town away from relegation danger.
"That is a situation I’ll have to manage but I’m delighted to have James with us,” he told the club website.
"He did really well at Barnsley before getting his move to Villa. It took a while for him to settle in there - that’s the way it often is for young players when they get a big move like that
"He has broken into their first team this season and done well. He knows the division well and he will add more competition at the back for us.”
Bree could make his Town debut in Saturday's home game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Meanwhile, former Town keeper Nick Hayes has joined Norwich City on a deal to the end of the season.
Ex-England U17 international Hayes, 19, was released by the Blues last summer having featured for the U23s but without ever breaking into the senior squad.