Birmingham made a last-minute enquiry for Fulham striker Bobby Zamora, manager Alex McLeish has admitted.

The Blues enjoyed a busy transfer deadline day - recruiting Alexander Hleb, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek - but McLeish was keen to add a striker.

City previously made a bid for highly-rated Zamora at the end of last season, only to see their £8million offer rebuffed.

And while McLeish revealed he went in again for the 29-year-old, he never seriously thought completing a move would be possible.

The Scot told the Birmingham Mail: "I never saw the striker there that I really craved - unless I was going to be paying 10, 12 million.

"I never went back in officially, for Bobby.

"We sounded out Fulham privately but we never made an issue of it because I had read Mark Hughes' comments in the newspaper about him being a focal point for Fulham and that he had started the season great.

"I thought there was absolutely no chance, so it didn't go any further. But I can understand why there were bids for him."