Boyd heading for Birmingham with Healy lined up for move to Rangers

Published on Tuesday 6 January 2009 22:11

KRIS BOYD is expected to complete a £3.5 million switch from Rangers to Birmingham City today.

A deal was agreed last night and the striker will now be taken under the wing of Alex McLeish, the manager who signed him for Rangers from Kilmarnock in 2006.

Rangers hope to replace the man who has been their leading scorer for three consecutive seasons with Northern Ireland internationalist David Healy from Sunderland in a 1 million deal.

Boyd has rattled in 91 goals in his three years at Ibrox – including two in the 3-0 weekend win over Inverness Caley Thistle at the weekend. His goalscoring exploits at Ibrox earned him an international call-up, and he won most of his 15 caps when McLeish was Scotland manager.

Rangers rejected an initial bid of around 3 million for the 25-year-old from the Coca-Cola Championship club, but chairman Sir David Murray showed the club's hand when he went on record yesterday to confirm that a suitably improved offer would be accepted.

Sir David told the BBC yesterday afternoon: "Birmingham have made an enquiry. We rejected a bid of around 3 million but if they improve it, we'll allow them to speak to Kris Boyd."

Boyd has netted 20 goals this term from a total of 20 starts and three substitute appearances. He will team up with Scotland team-mates Garry O'Connor, James McFadden and Nigel Quashie at Birmingham City.

Healy set a Northern Ireland scoring record when he netted against Denmark in last year's European Championship qualifiers – his 13th in the tournament – and has scored 35 goals for his country.

He was signed by Roy Keane for Sunderland from Fulham for 1.2 million in the summer, but failed to settle at the Stadium of Light. The 29-year-old has dropped out of the first-team picture and Walter Smith has moved swiftly to bring him in as Boyd's replacement.

Boyd could become the second striker to leave Ibrox for the Midlands this week after Alan Gow's agent revealed his client had reached a deal with Wolves.

The 26-year-old has been in talks with the Championship leaders since Rangers accepted an offer at the weekend.

"He has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal and the move will be completed pending a medical later this week," said Phil McTaggart. "Alan has been impressed by the ambition of Wolves and is hoping to help them in their bid to win promotion to the Premier League."

Gow played just two games for Rangers – both cup ties against lower league opposition – after joining them from Falkirk on a free transfer in 2007.

However, he scored five goals in 17 matches in a successful loan spell at Blackpool this season, and Wolves manager Mick McCarthy moved quickly to secure him.