Wanted man Mido in talks with Boro

Yakubu handed in a transfer request just days before the new campaign kicks off with Everton favourites to land the Nigeria international.

Egyptian Mido is also a target for Sunderland but he has yet to agree personal terms with them while Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is considering resurrecting his club's attempt to secure the striker's signature.

Chased: Mido

Birmingham were close to signing Mido for £6m last month but the move collapsed over contractural issues.

Bruce believes those matters have been "ironed out" and he is striving again to bring the Egyptian international to St Andrews after claiming negotiations are ongoing with Spurs.

Bruce said: "It has been difficult for the last couple of weeks especially with Spurs after what happened with Mr (Hossam) Ghaly but our offer has always been there for Mido.

"To be perfectly honest I don't think the offer was the problem to be fair to the player. It was all sorts of things like length of contract, stipulations in the contract.

"Those seem to have been ironed out so, if talks are ongoing again, then great.

"We made the best offer we possibly can to the player. We will see what happens. We will probably have to go through the rigmarole again on the possible transfer.

"We have to negotiate with Spurs but that seems to be ongoing. With any deal you would like the player to make his mind up but it was never about personal terms. I have to put that on the record.

"It will be a permanent transfer if it happens. That's where it got clouded initially.

"We were thinking we were going to get a loan deal for a year but it became obvious Tottenham didn't want that. They wanted a permanent deal which we are trying to resurrect.

"I don't know if we will learn anything today. There is still a bit to go."