The meteoric rise of DJ Campbell continued yesterday as Birmingham City made him their third new signing in a month, only hours before the transfer window slammed shut.

Following his successful recruitment of Chris Sutton and Martin Latka, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce last night secured the services of Campbell who was the star of last Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round ties.

The 24-year-old, who has been involved in professional football only since League One side Brentford took him from Conference South outfit Yeading last summer, scored twice in the 2-1 win over Sunderland and gave a performance that brought him into the national spotlight.

But Bruce had been watching Campbell - whose first name is actually Dudley - for several weeks and had already seen enough to pay the Londoners £500,000 in a deal that could rise to £1 million with extra clauses.

Campbell, who was also a trainee at Aston Villa but failed to earn a full-time contract, returns to the Midlands on a three-year deal and becomes City's fourth striker alongside Sutton, Emile Heskey and Mikael Forssell.

His pace, instinctive finishing, ebullient personality and late arrival on the footballing scene have led to comparisons with former England international Ian Wright - a correlation Bruce is happy to indulge.

"We hope he's like Ian Wright," Bruce said. "It's a good comparison, they are very similar.

"It is a huge ask of him to go and do what Ian Wright did but there are similarities - his pace, the way he finishes, he has got two good feet. He is effervescent, too."

Wright made an immediate impact when he joined Crystal Palace and Campbell has been equally devastating during his short time at Griffin Park.

He is on a run of eight goals in his last six games and has scored 12 from only 18 starts in all competition for Martin Allen's side.

"He has burst on to the scene," Bruce said. "At Yeading, he scored 60 goals in 80 games and although they are one down from the Conference, we feel he is one of those players. He is a little bit raw, but he has got a good eye for goal and is exciting."

Bruce, whose side travel to Liverpool today in the Premiership, has a quartet of strikers at his disposal as he seeks to lift Birmingham out of the relegation zone.

He believes his new signing could be the perfect foil for centre-forwards like Sutton and Heskey, who are best-known for their robust approach.

If Campbell's two goals against Sunderland are anything to go by, he could cause top-flight defences real problems with his pace.

Former Birmingham centre-back Gary Breen was humiliated by Campbell's speed and failed to get near him for either of his goals.

Bruce said: "We have got Heskey, Sutton and Forssell, so what we wanted was a young one to go with them and learn from them.

"He is totally different to them. He is sharp and lively and he has got the hunger. Of course, it's a gamble; can he make the step up? We believe he can."

But one player who will not be coming to Birmingham is Charlton Athletic midfielder Jason Euell, after Birmingham refused to meet what was being asked of them.

Bruce said: "I have always liked Jason Euell and it's a shame that we couldn't do something. We are not awash with money and we have to be prudent with what we do.

"With the size of the package in terms of the wages and the transfer fee, unfortunately it was too much and if I'd done the deal, I couldn't have done anything else. The squad isn't healthy enough for me to do that."

Meanwhile, Andrew Barrowman yesterday left St Andrew's to join Brentford's League One rivals, Walsall, on a free transfer.