It has not taken long for Chris Hughton to get his feet under the table at Birmingham and be linked instantly with swoops for his former Magpie players.

The former magpies hero Hughton is wished well by many a mag including myself as he certainly deserves his second chance in management after the admirable work he completed in getting the Toon promoted from the Championship and secured in the Premier League.

It was likely to happen that he would swoop for former players who know his methods and are more than capable of helping Birmingham push for promotion. Players that are deemed surplus to requirements at Newcastle United like Best, Guthrie, Ryan Taylor, Perch and Routledge are all more than capable of playing in a Championship team pushing for promotion.

Routledge had been expected to sign for newly promoted QPR but he is apparently wrangling for a bonus payoff because he wasn’t seeking a move but the club want id of him. The figure thought to be six figure plus is something management are not willing to pay considering he only played 12 months at St James Park before spending 6 months back out on loan at QPR.

At the end of the day the club feel that Routledge will blink first in the stand off as he will want his future settled for the new season.

Moving on fringe players will help free up funds for further squad improvements and free up some slots for youth to feature next season in the senior squad.

Newcastle have been heavily linked with a move for both Erdinc of PSG, a long term target and Daniel Sturridge of Chelsea as they look to bolster the strikers department. Stoke are believed to have tabled a £6 million bid for the former and it is likely now other suitors including Newcastle will be flushed out. A free nearer £10 million will likely be the final figure as Chelsea bring in further strikers under new manager Villas Boas.

Who do you think Chris Hughton will come in and swoop for?