Birmingham City boss says he will not sell defenders
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish is adamant that he will not be forced into selling central defensive pair Roger Johnson and Scott Dann in January.
The duo have performed consistently well for the club over the last 15 months after they both joined the English Premier League side in the summer of 2009 from Football League Championship teams.
In their first season in the top flight, they helped McLeish's side to finish in ninth place — the club's highest finish in the league for over half a century.
They have continued to perform well for the club with an strong display against Chelsea when Birmingham beat the defending champions 1-0 at St Andrews on Saturday 20 November. Johnson and Dann's good run of form has seen them both linked with a call-up to
the England national team.
However, such impressive performances have attracted the unwanted attentions of other clubs, but former Rangers boss McLeish insists that neither player is going anywhere when the transfer window reopens for business.
He told reporters: "I wouldn't worry if people come in for my players because it will mean we're doing well. But nobody is going anywhere that is on contract. It's too early for us to be contemplating these players moving when they have only been here a
year and a half."
Meanwhile, midfielder Sebastian Larsson could be on his way out after talks over a new contract for the Swede between his representatives and Birmingham came to a stalemate. His deal runs out at the end of the season and will be free to sign a pre-contract
agreement with another club in January.
However, McLeish is hopeful that the situation can be resolved and that Larsson will stay.
He said: "I think it's possible (there will be a positive conclusion). (Larsson's) played very well this season — I think he's kicked on and improved his game. I really don't know where we are in terms of how close things are at the moment (with the contract
talks). We haven't spoken to his agent for a month or so, but we've got to get it sorted by January because he can then talk to foreign clubs, so we're aware that date is on the horizon."
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