Birmingham City Waiting To Discover Price Tag Of Target | OneFootball

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Birmingham City are waiting to discover how much they will have to pay for a midfielder they have been targeting, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Blues are working to shape a squad that can be big players in the Championship next season and they showed last summer they are not afraid to splash the cash, with the big money arrival of Jay Stansfield standing out.

Chris Davies’ side are now looking to raid Nottingham Forest to sign midfielder Lewis O’Brien, who was on loan at Swansea City for the second half of the recent campaign.

The 26-year-old is out of favour at the City Ground and is expected to again be on the move this summer.

Southampton are also keen and, like Birmingham, are eyeing a permanent capture, while other suitors would prefer loans.

Birmingham though do not know how much Nottingham Forest want for the midfielder and that is a decision that the Tricky Trees will decide on soon.

It is suggested the asking price could even be so high as to disrupt an exit for O’Brien.

The midfielder has substantial experience in the Championship, which will surely appeal to Blues, while he even made just over a dozen appearances in the Premier League at Nottingham Forest.

O’Brien has been out on a series of loan spells in recent years and is likely to favour a permanent move this summer, if Forest play ball on his asking price.

He was a regular at Swansea during his loan in Wales and made a positive impression, helping the Welsh side enjoy a real upturn in form under Alan Sheehan.

O’Brien even got on the scoresheet, striking in a 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle.

Given Birmingham’s level of ambition, the midfielder is likely to be tempted by a move to St Andrew’s, however Blues will still need to be wary of competition, not least from Southampton.

Saints are looking to go straight back up to the Premier League under Will Still.