Blues back to test Cardiff resolve

Birmingham are understood to be lining up an improved offer for Roger Johnson, after Cardiff rejected their first bid.

The Premier League new boys are believed to have offered Cardiff £3.5m earlier this week, but the Bluebirds stood firm in their attempts to keep the defender.

But Alex McLeish appears determined to get his man and Birmingham are set to up their bid, with suggestions they could offer £5m for the former Wycombe Wanderers man.

Although Dave Jones and Peter Ridsdale plan to keep the defender, and Johnson says he is happy at Cardiff, the Bluebirds are likely to find it hard to turn down a substantially improved offer.