Birmingham City have confirmed the club are close to signing South American centre back Giovanny Espinoza within the next week. Co-owner of the newly promoted Blues David Sullivan outlined the credentials of the prospective new signing, with Barcelona Sporting Club stopper Espinoza fitting the bill.

"We hope that within two weeks to bring in another South American player - an established international who has played 80 times for his country and will put some backbone into our defence," Sullivan told the Birmingham Post.