Birmingham managed to seal a desperately late loan deal to sign Walter Pandiani from Deportivo La Coruna.
 
Uruguayan marksman Pandiani will join Steve Bruce's side on loan until the end of the season, although they do not have an option to buy him in the summer.
 
The 28-year-old had been looking to leave Estadio Riazor after falling out of favour with Depor coach Javier Irureta.
 
Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle were interested parties, along with Italian side Fiorentina, but Blues have managed to win the race for his signature.
 
Depor had quoted a £4 million asking price to sign Pandiani, but the Spanish side agreed to loan him out at the last minute, with the player looking to play regularly between now and the end of the season.
 
Club president Augusto Caesar Lendoiro says that the player and coach both thought that the best option for now was for Pandiani to find first team action elsewhere.
 
"The move is the one the player has insisted on and we think that it is the best option," said Lendoiro.
 
"In addition the trainer, Javier Irureta, was already expecting this to happen.
 
"We have not looked for any replacement for him."
 
Bruce will be delighted to have landed a top class striker, after failing in his pursuit of Craig Bellamy
 
'The Rifle' has banged in 50 league goals during his 128 appearances in Spain, and has been a constant scorer for Depor.
 
He notched six goals in the UEFA Champions League last season as Depor made the semi-finals, and if he could replicate that form he could be a major asset for Bruce.
 
The deal went through just before the transfer window slammed shut, and he could even figure for Blues in Wednesday's match with Southampton, if they receive international clearance in time.

Voilà la raison de la non arrivée de l'attaquant Parisien en Artois. L'attaquant Serbe aurait refusé de venir à Lens du fait que Lens était encore moins bien placé que Paris. Car les dirigeants Parisiens étaient d'accord pour sa venue à Lens.

Le défenseur Abel Xavier, sans contrat depuis son départ de Hanovre, s'est engagé, lundi soir, avec l'AS Roma. Le Portugais a signé son contrat au terme d'un essai concluant avec la formation italienne.

Roma have signed Portugal defender Abel Xavier.
 
The former Liverpool and Everton full back has been on trial at Stadio Olimpico
 
Roma boss Luigi Delneri has been suitably impressed with the flamboyant stopper, and has handed him a contract with the Serie A side.
 
Former Galatasaray man Xavier has been without a club since leaving German side Hannover, and had been close to a return to England.
 
The 32-year-old has trained with Bolton, while he was also close to moves to Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, but neither deal materialised.
 
Xavier has previously played in Italy during a brief spell at Bari, but is now set for a longer stint in Serie A.

L'ETAT DES TROUPES
 
Bastia : Les Corses ne pourront sans doute pas compter sur leur buteur Frédéric Née (un but face à Nice et Auxerre). Absent à l'entraînement jeudi, l'ancien Lyonnais souffre d'un hématome au fessier et pourrait manquer ses retrouvailles avec son ancien club. Il rejoint ainsi Pierre-Yves André et Fabrice Jau à l'infirmerie. En revanche, Anther Yahia effectuera son retour après avoir purgé son match de suspension. Les nouvelles recrues bastiaises, Malek Cherrad, Stéphane Ziani et Bernt Haas, font partie du groupe.  
 
Lyon : L'OL sera toujours privé de Sylvain Wiltord, Claudio Caçapa et Hatem Ben Arfa. Paul Le Guen a donc reconduit le groupe qui s'est imposé face à Rennes cette semaine et au sein duquel Eric Abidal a réussi un retour convaincant. Seul changement, le jeune attaquant Karim Benzema cède sa place à Jérémy Berthod.
 
LES EQUIPES PROBABLES
 
Bastia : Penneteau - Chimbonda, Uras, Yahia, Haas - Piocelle, Sidibé, Rocchi, Sauget - Hadji, Cherrad
 
Lyon : Coupet - Réveillère, Cris, Essien, Abidal - Govou, Diarra, Bergougnoux, Juninho, Malouda - Frau