BLACKBURN Rovers are set to use the cash boost from the sale of James Beattie to persuade Birmingham City to part with Robbie Savage.

Rovers are expected to launch a second bid for the Welsh midfielder, who handed in a transfer request yesterday, after their first offer of £2.2million was turned down last week.

The £6million transfer of Beattie to Everton from Southampton means Blackburn will net £1million as part of a sell-on clause that gives them 20 per cent of the profit made by the Saints, who took him from Ewood in 1998.

Rovers won't be ploughing all the extra money into prising Savage away, but should be able to push their bid closer to Birmingham's asking price.

The Blues will look for a figure between £3-£3.5m but City boss Steve Bruce is likely to continue his stubborn stance over the future of the 30-year-old, who signed a new four-year contract in the summer.

Blackburn chief executive John Williams said: "I can't get involved in other club's politics, all I can do is try to get the players that our manager wants."

Savage was set to find out today if Bruce will agree to his transfer request.

The Birmingham manager has so far refused to acknowledge Savage's desire to leave, insisting that he wouldn't consider selling him to relegation rivals.

Savage, however, wants to move to a club located nearer to his sick parents, based in Wrexham.

He was already scheduled to have a meeting with Birmingham co-owner David Sullivan tomorrow to discuss his future but his decision to put his desire to leave in writing might persuade City chiefs to make it more difficult for him to leave.

Sullivan has already made his anger at the situation public, last week threatening legal action against Rovers and alleging they had "tapped up" Savage.