Lee Bowyer reveals player Birmingham City want to sign before transfer deadline

Lee Bowyer wants Birmingham City to strengthen their defence before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Blues signed midfielder Juninho Bacuna and striker Lyle Taylor earlier this week to take their January arrivals to five.

Nottingham Forest forward Taylor, who worked under Bowyer successfully at Charlton, became Blues’ fifth loan player, which means the club are now only interested in permanent deals.

Technical director Craig Gardner has funds to spend and Bowyer would like one more January gift.

“Hopefully Father Christmas will come early and drop another one. You never know,” said the Blues boss.

Pressed on the position Blues need to reinforce most urgently, Bowyer added: “I’d say a centre-half as a bit of cover. Sometimes when we play three (at the back), at the moment we’ve got George (Friend) as cover, I think we need another one.

“If you lose two, one suspended and one injured, then that’s it. I think that’s a position we could do a bit. There’s a couple of other positions, but if I could pick one I’d lean towards that.”

In addition to Bacuna and Taylor, Blues have also signed Teden Menji, Onel Hernandez and Taylor Richards this month.

Bacuna, a 24-year-old Curacao international, became Blues' first permanent addition of the window after a deal was struck with Rangers earlier this week.

The former Huddersfield Town midfielder will provide competition to Ryan Woods, Gary Gardner, Ivan Sunjic and Jordan James for a spot in Blues' engine room.

“I hope he’ll bring a bit of quality, which he has," Bowyer said of Bacuna. "He’s good on the ball, he can receive the ball, he has a good range of passing, he can score a goal and create.

“Everything that I’ve seen him do in the past, I hope he brings that here.

“I think it’s