Birmingham City currently find themselves sitting in 13th place in the Sky Bet Championship table, and appear to be only going one way since the shock sacking of Gary Rowett.

The Blues are yet to win under new boss Gianfranco Zola and have picked up just 2 points from his first 5 games in charge.

They were sitting just outside the play-off spots under Rowett and were in serious contention for promotion before he was dismissed.

That was an unpopular decision with the fans, who have already started turning on Gianfranco Zola after his poor start to life in the West Midlands.

Zola will be desperate to stop the rot at St Andrew's and it is clear that the whole club is in need of a lift, a lift that could be provided by the injection of fresh faces at the club.

This article is going to take a look at two potential incomings that Zola should look to secure a deal for by the end of this week...

Bakary Sako

It was reported earlier on in the window that The Blues had lodged a multi-million pound bid for Crystal Palace wide man Bakary Sako and Zola should certainly be looking to press on with this one and look to tie him down to a contract at St Andrew's by the end of this week.

However, this will be no easy task as it has been reported by various sources that numerous other clubs are also interested in the services of the Mali international.

Sako was devastating in the Championship for Wolves before and he would probably slot straight back in as a star performer in the second tier.

Sako currently finds himself very much on the fringes of former England boss Sam Allardyce's squad and looks certain to depart Selhurst Park this month.

Craig Gardner

Last week, it was reported by Sky Sports that Birmingham had approached West Brom about the availability of midfield man Craig Gardener and this again is another transfer deal that Zola should look to press on with this week.

Gardner has made just 2 Premier League starts for the Baggies so far this season and it appears he may be seeking a move away from The Hawthorns in order to gain first team football.

Gardner is no stranger to The Blues after making over 50 appearances for the club in a spell that lasted from January 2010 to the summer of 2011.

The 30-year-old is a boyhood fan who may be willing to take the step down providing Zola can make guarantees of first team football.

 

Birmingham fans - would you take these 2 players at the club? Who else would you like to see them