Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Birmingham poised to buy Boro's Turkey ace Tuncay for £5m
Birmingham City are poised to sign Middlesbrough's want-away star Tuncay in a £5million deal.
Blues boss Alex McLeish is the first to come close to Boro's valuation for the playmaker who is ready to quit the Riverside following relegation last season.
The Turkey captain has attracted interest from Birmingham's city rivals Aston Villa, German club Cologne and Tuncay's former side Fenerbahce, who he left on a free transfer two years ago.
tuncay
Hot streak: Tuncay (2nd left) is congratulated after his opener against Doncaster
All three were put off by his £65,000-a-week wages. But Birmingham are willing to open talks with the 27-year-old Boro fans' favourite this weekend and conclude the transfer by Monday.
The loss of the influential Tuncay, who has scored three goals from his three substitute appearances this season, will be a blow to Gareth Southgate but the Middlesbrough manager was resigned to losing his high earners and bigger stars following the drop to the Championship.
His departure will also take some pressure off the Teesside club's wage bill, and Southgate will now be keen to off-load Brazilian striker Afonso Alves who has been the subject of enquiries and bids from Portugal, Holland and Qatar.
The Boro boss will be looking to strengthen his squad before the end of the month with Derby striker Rob Hulse, Leeds' Jermaine Beckford and Nottingham Forest's Rob Earnshaw all on his radar.
Southgate is preparing for bids for central defensive partners Robert Huth and David Wheater and will be hoping to see off interest from Stoke and Aston Villa.
