Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish is ready to battle Wigan and Bolton in a no-holds-barred scrap to land Portsmouth star Sean Davis.

The 29-year-old, available on a free transfer this summer, is also wanted by a string of Premier League hopefuls, including West Midlands rivals Wolves.

But McLeish's ambitious board are prepared to match or even increase Davis's wages of around £28,000 a week as he bids to bring in a midfielder with proven topflight experience.