Alex McLeish has rejected claims that he is set to bid £4million for Reading's Stephen Hunt.
Blues boss rejects talk of Hunt bid but does want more signings
Alex McLeish has rejected claims that he is set to bid £4million for Reading's Stephen Hunt.
The Birmingham boss has made eight signings this summer as he prepares his squad for a tough season back in the Premier League.
Despite the most recent arrivals of Lee Bowyer and Barry Ferguson, McLeish is still thought to be keen on bringing in new recruits in midfield.
However, although admitting that Hunt is a player he admires, he categorically denies that he is close to tabling an offer for the player.
"It's not true. I am not about to sign anybody at the moment," he said. "We've got to count our pennies.
Denial
"I don't really want to talk about players who are with other teams or I might get into trouble with the authorities. But Hunt is a good player."
Despite distancing himself from a deal for Hunt, McLeish added that there were still areas of his team that he wanted to strengthen.
"We've made a few signings. The board have been excellent in terms of their backing on the signings and on the structural side of things like the sports science department," he added.
"It's great that they have given us the tools and it gets us closer to other teams and their support.
"But the team is still a work in progress. There are still players I would like to bring to the club.
"But I have to be aware - and I have always been pretty fair in my relationship with boards - that we just can't spend beyond our means."
Pressure
Due to the influx of new players at St Andrews over the summer, many Blues fans now have high hopes for the upcoming season and McLeish insists he is comfortable working under the pressure of expectation.
"Make no mistake, I have put myself under the sort of pressure that Alex Ferguson puts himself under for success - for the club and the players," he highlighted.
"I've said time and time again, the thing that turns me on as a football manager is to make my players happy, my staff happy, the board happy and the fans and that means you've got to win."
