BURNLEY winger Wade Elliott is wanted by two Championship clubs.

Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City are set to do battle for the 32-year-old before the transfer window closes at 11pm today.

News of Forest’s interest in the former Bournemouth wide man broke over the weekend, and newly relegated Birmingham, who signed ex-Clarets captain Steven Caldwell in the summer, have now joined the chase.

Burnley had not received any official offers from either club last night, but Blues manager Chris Hughton would, in any case, have to sell a player before being able to buy Elliott, or any of his other targets.

Birmingham have been facing a fire-sale since owner Carson Yeung was arrested in June on five money laundering charges, totalling £59million.

He is awaiting trial in Hong Kong, while the threat of administration continues to hang over the club.

With the transfer window looming, Burnley manager Eddie Howe last week said: “I think there are clubs interested in our best players, but we can’t lose anybody else.

“I want to keep everyone together now and keep adding to the squad with quality players. That’s the aim.”

Elliott, whose Wembley winner fired the Clarets into the Premier League in 2009, has featured in all six league and cup games so far this season, starting four, and is contracted until 2013 after signing a new deal under former manager Brian Laws.

Although Howe has been keen to reduce the average age of the squad over the summer, he still regards Burnley’s play-off hero as a key figure at the club.

But the board may look to free up a wage if they are able to land winger Junior Stanislas from West Ham.

Read Willie Irvine's column only in today's Lancashire Telegraph newspaper.