Stephen Kelly will be the third new face present at Wast Hills today as Birmingham City's pre-season training starts in earnest.

The 22-year-old Republic of Ireland international has put the finishing touches to his #750,000 move from Tottenham Hotspur and signed a three-year deal.

Kelly follows Cameron Jerome (19) and Neil Danns (23) into St Andrew's as Steve Bruce adopts a seismic shift in policy. Gone are the thirtysomethings who littered the team last year to be replaced by young, hungry players with a point to prove. Kelly admitted that was a factor in his decision to sign.

"When you have young, confident players wanting to do well, they give that bit extra to the team," he said."

Kelly also rebuffed suggestions that dropping into the Championship would harm his international aspirations. He made his full debut against Chile in May and was adamant that regular football would only increase his opportunities.

"It was great to make my debut and I am going to need to be playing first-team football to continue that run," he conceded. "I think he (Republic manager Steve Staunton) wants me playing first-team football. It came to the point where I had to think about my career. This is a great opportunity for me to do well."

Meanwhile, both Bruce and Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Glenn Hoddle may be alerted to the fact that new MK Dons manager Martin Allen has said he will listen to offers for Izale McLeod.

The Birmingham-born 21-year-old was the subject of a bid from Wolves last season whilst Birmingham were also keeping tabs on him. Following the Dons' relegation and change of manager, McLeod has been told he can move on.

Blues are also said to be joining Everton in the chase for Rangers' Hamed Namouchi. The 22-year-old played all three World Cup games for Tunisia and is contracted at Ibrox until 2008 but Teni Yerima claimed: "Everton like him a lot, while Birmingham have been tracking Hamed for almost two years.

"But Rangers are a big club and have appointed a very good coach [Paul Le Guen] and he is not in a hurry to leave."

Namouchi's international colleague Mehdi Nafti will be absent this morning as he recuperates following his World Cup exertions. The midfielder made two appearances in the finals but limped off against Ukraine.

It is not a recurrence of his major knee injury, however, so he will undergo treatment and rest at his home in France before linking up with the squad at their training camp in Spain.