BIRMINGHAM City have tabled a club record £5.5 million bid for Blackburn midfielder David Dunn.

Blues boss Steve Bruce wants the former England Under 21 international to bolster his midfield resources next season.

And I can reveal he has tested Rovers' resolve with a concrete offer in the last 24 hours after learning that Dunn has rejected a new contract.

Rovers have already stated they would be reluctant sellers and manager Graeme Souness still wants Dunn in his squad for next season.

But with the player indicating he sees his long-term future elsewhere, Souness may now have to sanction a move or run the risk of losing him for free in two years' time.

Bruce has been an admirer of Dunn for some time, as we exclusively revealed several weeks ago.

The Blues boss has been given money to spend in the transfer market this summer and he has made the recruitment of a top midfielder, a striker and a goalkeeper his main priorities.

Arsenal's Francis Jeffers and Manchester United's Roy Carroll are the other two names on his summer hit-list.

But Dunn remains his top target and he's prepared to break the club's transfer record in order to land him.

Bruce knows all about Dunn's qualities because his son, Alex, is a member of Rovers' Academy.

And he sees him as the man to help stabilise the club in the Premiership following an impressive first season in the top flight.

"Yes, David Dunn is one we are looking at," confirmed Bruce today.

"He fits the bill in that he's a talented and exciting player and he's young, too, which is typical of what we want.

"I'm a great admirer of his and we have made an enquiry about him."

Bruce, who returned from a week-long break in Dubai last night, has already managed to persuade Christophe Dugarry and Matthew Upson to join his Blues revolution at St Andrews.

And, as I understand it, Dunn WOULD be keen on a move to Birmingham, too, because he's desperate to leave Rovers following a fall-out with Souness.

But whether Rovers will accept the offer or not remains to be seen.

In the past, the Blues managing director, Karren Brady, has often tried to negotiate deals on the basis of a lump sum up front, plus further add-ons on top.

But such a structure is unlikely to suit Rovers needs in this instance because they are under no pressure to sell one of their most-prized assets.

Birmingham are not the only club on the trail of Dunn, either.

A third party claiming to be working on behalf of Everton has also been in touch with Rovers about the unsettled midfielder in the last few days.

Ewood chief executive John Williams refused to comment on the latest developments when asked today.