Birmingham City Football Club

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1875
• Manager:Lee Clark

• Ground:St Andrew's
• Capacity:30016

Blues fail to land Traore loan

07 Aug 2009 - 13:48:38

Click To Enlarge

Birmingham City have been rebuffed in their bid to sign Arsenal defender Armand Traore on loan.

The 19-year-old left-back was wanted by the newly-promoted Blues, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is reluctant to sanction his departure until he knows the make-up of his own squad.

"I've had a response from Arsene and it is not positive because he is going to keep Traore in the meantime and won't make a decision on him until the end of the transfer window," revealed Blues boss Alex McLeish.

"I have to put the feelers out now and try and bring a left-back in because I have been playing right-footed people there, like Stuart Parnaby and Jared Wilson, which is not fair.

"Will I go back in for Traore? I'm not saying I won't go back to him. It is possible, but depends what happens between now and the end of August."

Meanwhile, City co-owner David Sullivan and chief executive Karren Brady will not be prosecuted after a two-year police investigation into alleged tax irregularities, their lawyers have revealed.