Birmingham City Assure Bruce

Blues manager Steve Bruce has told the Sunday Star that he is under no pressure to sell Birmingham City’s star players.

The press have linked Jermaine Pennant, Emile Heskey and Mikael Forssell, amongst others, to exits from St Andrews but Bruce says he wants to keep hold of the main part of his squad to mount a challenge to return at the first time of asking to the Premiership.

Bruce said: ‘I have had reassurances from the board that I don’t have to sell anyone. They are our sought-after, quality players but the scavengers out there circling will not get them cheap, that’s for sure. They are part of a situation that got us into the Championship so if we don’t get the right offers, they will be told they are staying here and have to help fire us back to where we came from.’

So, they can go, but only at the right price. Sounds reasonable as long as the proceeds from any sales are put straight back into the team re-building.

Jermaine Pennant has been linked to Liverpool and recent reports link Emile Heskey to Blackburn Rovers. 51% of fans who voted in our poll last week said that Blues should keep Heskey as he’d be an asset in The Championship.

46% of fans polled said Blues should keep Pennant and build the team around him. 45% said sell him for £3.5m or more and 9% said sell him for £5m or more!