Following the shock sacking of Gary Rowett last week and the bitter late defeat suffered against Brighton at the weekend, Birmingham need to be working towards strengthening their push for promotion in the January window.

Now losing three of their last four Championship matches, Birmingham have dropped to eighth in the table and sit three points behind the play-off spots heading into a huge clash with Derby County next week, with the Rams currently sitting two points and one position above the Blues in the table.

Zola will undoubtedly look to strengthen his squad in the mid-season window and looking towards Premier League players would be a good approach, as it could provide Birmingham with the difference they're looking for.

Securing top-flight players is never easy though and Birmingham will face a wealth of competition from their Championship rivals in the market, but Zola should definitely target these THREE Premier League men next month.

Jordan Rhodes

Previously the Championship's best striker, Jordan Rhodes helped guide Middlesbrough to promotion to the Premier League last season but has struggled to establish himself in the top-flight, with the arrival of Alvaro Negredo in the summer severely affecting his playing time.

The 26-year-old has made just six Premier League appearances this season and that number is unlikely to improve significantly in the second-half of the season.

Rhodes aspires to be the leading striker in the side and he could get that at Birmingham, helping the club achieve promotion and then becoming the leading star for Gianfranco Zola's side in the Premier League.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Birmingham fans will be hoping that Gianfranco Zola uses his Chelsea links to secure loan deals for some top-talents from the Premier League giants.

The promotion-chasing Blues should definitely look to take Ruben Loftus-Cheek on-loan for the second-half of the season.

First-team opportunities for the youngster have been limited this term as he fights with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic for playing time, and regular opportunities on-loan with Birmingham could dramatically improve his development.

Premier League sides may also be eyeing a swoop for the England U21 international, but they may be unable to offer regular football, which could hand the advantage to Zola's side.

Marc Pugh

The 29-year-old Bournemouth winger has enjoyed a rise to the starting line-up once again in the past week, scoring a dramatic winner against Leicester City, but Pugh's first-team chances with the South Coast side remain limited

Pugh has been present for the past six years of Bournemouth's staggering rise through the divisions and his top-flight experience, accompanied by his vast knowledge of what it takes to emerge successful from a push for promotion, could prove to be invaluable for Birmingham.