Sunderland are facing a battle to keep hold of Craig Gardner as Birmingham want to take the 'homesick' player back to the Midlands.
The midfielder only joined the club last summer for £4.7m but has failed to settle in the north east, Martin O'Neill recently admitted the 25-year-old was missing his family back in the Midlands.
Blues have been in touch about taking Gardner back in a loan move and although O'Neill refused their boss Chris Hughton has not given up hope.
Hughton said: "When the window closes, there will be some Premier League clubs that have players who are not getting regular games who will be surplus for whatever period.
!"We still have that open to us. Maybe a month on a short loan."