Source: Daily_Mail
Birmingham boss McLeish closing in on Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel
[LNB]Brum bound? Michel (left)[LNB]Birmingham are closing in on the signing of Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel ina £3 million deal. [LNB]City expect to know in the next 24 hours whether the 24-year-old playmaker willbecome manager Alex McLeish's first signing during the January transfer window. [LNB]Sources close to the club are confident one or two remaining loose ends will betied up to ensure Michel finally makes the move to St. Andrews. [LNB]A medical has even been provisionally arranged for Wednesday by the midlandsclub.Michel has been a long-term target of McLeish, who was optimistic of signingthe player last summer before the two clubs could not agree on the method ofpayment. [LNB]But Michel has remained on McLeish's radar and negotiations were reopened onceCarson Yeung's takeover of Birmingham was completed. [LNB]McLeish has been delighted with the midfield combination of Lee Bowyer andBarry Ferguson in propelling City into the top 10 of the Barclays PremierLeague. [LNB]But he feels the passing range and youthfulness of Michel can add a newdimension to Blues' play during the second half of the campaign. [LNB] JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW 2010: All the moves at every Premier League clubAmbitious Boro hold £1.5m talks to sign Rangers striker Kris Boyd BIRMINGHAM CITY FC
