Steve Bruce is set to step up his bid to sign Danny Mills - and is ready to meet the defender's wage demands to snare him to Birmingham.

Blues manager Bruce is keen to add the England right-back to his side as part of the overhaul of his squad this summer.

Leeds have made Mills available on a free transfer and have circulated his name to every Premiership side in the country as they bid to rid their wage bill of all their high earners ahead of life back in Division One.

Mills has just completed a season-long loan deal at Middlesbrough but the club have so far struggled to make his move to The Riverside permanent after failing to match his four-year £30,000-per-week deal he is still on at Elland Road.

However, Birmingham are ready to match his wage demands and are optimistic of persuading the former Charlton star, who has also been linked with Newcastle, to move to St Andrews. Mills, who had well publicised run-ins with Robbie Savage and Clinton Morrison during Birmingham's St Andrews clash with Middlesbrough this season, has been a long-term target for Bruce.

Bruce did try and sign him before he opted to make his loan move to Teesside.

A specialist right-back has been a high priority for Bruce ever since he let Jeff Kenna move to Derby County.

Martin Taylor and Olivier Tebily were both used in the role during the end of season run-in but Bruce wants a specialist player in that role and Mills is his number one target.