Sone Aluko admits that he still hopes to make the grade in the Premier League with Birmingham.
Winger out to impress McLeish
Sone Aluko admits that he still hopes to make the grade in the Premier League with Birmingham.
The teenage winger was propelled into the national spotlight following a fine goal for Aberdeen during the Scottish side's 2-2 Uefa Cup draw with Bayern Munich last Thursday.
Currently on loan at Pittodrie until the end of the season, and with many Dons supporters keen for the club to sign him permanently, Aluko still feels that he has the ability to become a success at St Andrews and looks almost certain to return south of the border come the summer.
Flattering
"The loan has been going great, I am getting competitive football, playing in the Uefa Cup and I'm still on cloud nine after the other night," he told the
Birmingham Mail.
"The lads here are a good bunch and everyone has made me feel very welcome, and the manager (ex-Blues defender Jimmy Calderwood) has given me lots of confidence.
"There's been a few letters in the local paper from Aberdeen fans urging the chairman to get his chequebook out and sign me, which is very flattering.
Options
"But my first goal is Birmingham City. I'm contracted to Blues and my aim is to break into the side there.
"We will have to wait and see what the manager (Alex McLeish) thinks and if things don't go too well, then I'd have to look at my options.
"When he came in the loan was about to come to an end, but he allowed Aberdeen to extend it for another six months, which suited me.
First impression
"He's only had reports on me, it was the first time he had seen me play live last week.
"He said 'well played' to me afterwards and told me to carry on what I had been doing.
"Hopefully I will have done myself some good as a first impression."
