Birmingham swoop for Taylor

14 April 2012

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce today finally secured the services of Blackburn's versatile defender Martin Taylor in a £1.25million deal.

Taylor has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract which will keep him at St Andrews until the end of the 2006-2007 season.

Bruce has been trying to sign Taylor throughout the transfer window and has finally snapped up the 24-year-old player with just three hours to spare.

The City chief moved into action after it became clear that Mathew Upson would be out of action for six to eight weeks after suffering knee ligament damage in the FA Cup tie with Blackburn.

Taylor is Bruce's only signing during the window after failed attempts to prise Nicky Butt away from Manchester United.

Bruce said: "What I admire about Martin is that he is so versatile. He can play at centre-back, left-back or right-back which gives us cover in several positions.

"He is a natural footballer and if he gets confidence I believe he can be a real talent.

"He has been in and out of the Blackburn side this season but played more than 30 games last year when they finished sixth in the Premiership and qualified for Europe."

Bruce's transfer activity in the January window has been curtailed compared to 12 months ago when he signed Christophe Dugarry, Upson, Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence.

He said: "I am delighted to have got Martin and it would have been nice if Nicky Butt came to Birmingham City now as well.

"But the plan throughout was always to try and keep most of the money for the summer when more players are available.

"At this juncture people are reluctant to sell the kind of quality players you are looking for in general."

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