McLeish Plays Down Transfer Rumours

Last updated : 23 October 2009 By Brian Cartlidge

The Blues boss has been promised up to £40miilion in funds to bring new players to St Andrews in the January transfer window but, although an admirer of the duo, he has said that Dzeko's price tag could be too high and Blues may have difficulties in gaining a work permit for Brazilian Grafite.

"I think Grafite would be difficult in terms of getting a work permit and he is 30 years of age," said McLeish. "Are we going to spend £10-15million on a 30-year-old? I don't think so.

"Dzeko would be a fortune. It would probably take up the £40million," the Blues boss told Sky Sports.

"He has had a fantastic couple of seasons and is probably just out of our league at the moment.

"Paul Montgomery (Blues' chief scout) did speak with his representatives.

"He has got a lot of fantastic contacts in Europe and he gets into these inner sanctums to get within touching distance of these players but bringing them is a another matter.

"We are looking at the European market between now and January. We are looking at every league."