Alex McLeish has reiterated that he would like to keep goalkeeper Joe Hart on a long-term loan deal from Manchester City.
The Blues boss has consistently heaped praise on the 22-year-old throughout the course of the current season as he has been in outstanding form and played a key role in ensuring Premier League football will be back on the agenda at St Andrews next term.
McLeish initially wanted to take Hart to the club on a permanent deal, but City would not entertain any offers as they want to keep the player as a long-term replacement for current number one Shay Given.
Blues vice-chairman Peter Pannu confirmed last month that City would give the Blues first priority on keeping Hart on loan for next season and McLeish is now looking to come to some concrete agreement.
"City won't be happy about me talking publicly about this but Joe has been tremendous," he said.
"We want to keep him, we'd like to see him stay for another season. He wants to stay.
"City are his club, in terms of the ownership of the contract, and we respect that. But we hope at some stage that City can give us a bit of goodwill.
"They have a top class keeper in Shay Given and, unless someone comes in with a ridiculous offer for Given, you can see him staying at the helm with City for the next two or three years.
"It would have to be a loan deal because City have said under no circumstances will they sell Joe."