BIRMINGHAM City's on-off pursuit of Blackburn Rovers striker Mike Newell was revived last night.

But it is still surrounded by confusion, with the First Division club admitting that they need to unload several players before they can afford to wrap up a deal.

A fee, which I believe was about £750,000, was agreed between the two clubs some time ago, but the move seemed to have broken down.

Today, Birmingham owner David Sullivan said that both the fee and the player's personal terms had been finalised.

But City boss Trevor Francis has already spent the money allocated to him for new signings on Steve Bruce, Barry Horne, Gary Ablett and Paul Furlong.

Sullivan, however, remains confident of completing the signing of Newell.

"After buying Paul Furlong for £1.5 million, we have to unload before tying up the Newell deal," he said.

"But that's all that is holding it up. The manager is negotiating to sell a number of players - up to five - and I'm confident some of them will be gone by next week.

"The jigsaw is starting to come together and, hopefully, will prove good enough to take us into the Premier League next season.

"Having Newell and Furlong up front would give us a fair old battering ram for the First Division."

Rovers fans will be able to pay at the turnstiles for four of the club's pre-season friendly fixtures.

But the match at Preston on Monday, August 12 (kick-off 7-45pm), to open Deepdale's new stand, has been made all-ticket.

Tickets will go on open sale at Ewood from July 29, with prices for the terracing being £8 (£4-50 concessions). Seats at Deepdale are priced £10 (£6) and £16 (no concessions).

Prices at Colchester on August 3 (3pm) are: seats £9 (£6), £8 (£5-50), standing £7 (£4-50), family enclosure £6 (£4-50).

Admission at Cambridge on August 5 (7-45pm) is £6 (£2).

Prices are not available for the mini-tournament against Vitesse Arnhem and Seville (7-30pm) on August 7, nor for the game against Volendam two days later (8pm).

But fans can pay at the turnstiles on the night.

Latest Double Your Money Club £500 winner is A Smith, Blackburn, number 354A.

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