Southampton have made an initial approach for Birmingham City striker Che Adams according to Sky Sports News

No official bid is yet to be made for the Blues leading goalscorer from the Saints but Ralph Hassenhutl is thought to be closely monitoring the 22-year-old this month.

Birmingham signed Adams from Sheffield United back in the summer of 2016 for a fee of around £2million, going on to make 105 appearances and scoring 30 goals.

Adams has scored 14 goals this season and assisted four more, helping Garry Monk's side into a surprise bid for promotion to the Premier League.

He has formed a lethal partnership with fellow striker Lukasz Jutkiewicz with the 29-year-old adding ten goals as well as nine assists.

The Blues were considerable pre-season candidates for the drop but sit in 13th with 29 matches played, 16 points off the Championship relegation zone and just seven behind Derby County who currently occupy the final spot in the play-offs.

The verdict 

This would be a brilliant signing for the Saints.

The are always question marks over whether a Championship striker can make the step up to the top-flight, but Adams looks like the real deal.

He is a ruthless instinctive finisher, something that Southampton have been crying out for at times this season and he would be a certain hit with the fans.