New Birmingham boss Gianfranco Zola makes first signing as Blues chief, bringing in £1million striker Lukas Jutkiewicz
Italian manager has signed Burnley forward as he bids to break into the play-off places in the Championship
GIANFRANCO ZOLA has made his first signing as Birmingham City boss having agreed a £1 million deal for striker Lukas Jutkiewicz with Premier League Burnley.
The far-travelled forward has been a big hit during a loan spell and the cubs sorted out a price despite rival Championship interest.
Jutkiewicz - who was already on loan at the Midland side - had an injury-hit time with the Clarets but found his form under Gary Rowett and Zola is happy to take him on.
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Burnley faced losing Jutkiewicz for nothing at the end of his contract, with the funds going into Sean Dyche's kitty for reinforcements.
The Turf Moor side may also let Patrick Bamford go back to Chelsea after his loan stint with them proved to be a disaster.
Bamford has hardly figured and returning him would let Dyche bring in another Premier loan signing next month.
Zola frustratingly lost his first game in charge of the Midlands club, losing 2-1 at home to Brighton following a 94th-minute Glenn Murray header.
The Chelsea legend was hired by Birmingham after the decision to sack Gary Rowett with the former Premier League club struggling outside of the Championship play-off places.
The Blues currently sit eighth in the league, three points away from the top six and 15 points behind league leaders Newcastle under Rafael Benitez.
Birmingham will next face Derby County away in the league and have an FA Cup third round match-up with the Toon in January.
Zola will be hoping to do better than his previous managerial tenures having struggled at West Ham and Watford before a spell in his native Italy with Cagliari and a year at Qatar side Al-Arabi.