Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan believes Blues could emulate Everton and Bolton Wanderers by qualifying for Europe next season with a couple of shrewd acquisitions this summer.

Steve Bruce's side finished 12th in the Premiership last season as Everton and Bolton surprised the pundits - ending up in Europe after coming fourth and sixth respectively.

Sullivan hopes Blues can perform similarly well next season but he has ruled out a repeat of the type of frantic transfer activity which resulted in the club signing seven players before last August's transfer deadline.

Instead, Sullivan hopes that with Jermaine Pennant improving all the time and long-term injury victims David Dunn and Muzzy Izzet on course to return for preseason training, Blues will not require many changes to thrive in the near future.

He said: "Jermaine Pennant has made a big difference in the last few months and we'll be signing two or three more players this summer.

"All we need is a midfielder and a centre-forward - then we'll have a decent team. I think it is just a matter of time before we play to our full potential.

"The good thing for me was that we played our best football towards the end of the season and I am positive about next year.

"Everton and Bolton are in Europe and they are not that much better than us so that has to be our aim."

Despite Sullivan's intention to sign only two or three players this summer, Blues have been linked with Chelsea's Scott Parker, Newcastle's Nicky Butt, Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell and Norwich's Damien Francis.

Out-of-contract left-back Olivier Bernard has also been mentioned in despatches and Birmingham are anxious to re-sign Mikael Forssell from Chelsea and on-loan forward Walter Pandiani.

Blues went public with their interest in Parker, Pandiani and Forssell weeks ago but last night Sullivan was dismissive of the club's reported interest in Butt and Francis.

Indeed, he gave no time-scale as to when any signings might be made and said his immediate priority was taking a break from football after an arduous season.

As Blues struggled for consistency on the field this term, Sullivan was regularly in the headlines for his outspoken comments about Dwight Yorke being racially abused at Blackburn and Robbie Savage's defection to Ewood Park.

"I'm looking forward to a break," Sullivan said. "The Savage business left a bad taste in my mouth and I think everyone feels a little disappointed with how the season turned out.

"It was a strange year because we lost David Dunn, Mikael Forssell and Muzzy Izzet for virtually the whole of the season. They are all good players yet we still managed to beat Liverpool twice only to go and lose to Crystal Palace both times.

"Our early-season home form wasn't good enough but we began to get things right at St Andrew's towards the end of the season.

"It started to come together late on and that's one of the reasons why I have a bit of optimism for next season."

Sullivan was also pleased with the form of Emile Heskey, particularly in the second half of the season. The striker, signed for £6.25 million from Liverpool a year ago, scored 11 goals and was named Blues' player of the season.

"Emile did well," Sullivan said. "Once the plaster on his hand came off there was a big difference and he seemed to get better and better.

"I think there was a question mark over him initially but he has proved the doubters wrong - including myself."