Birmingham City have received encouragement in their pursuit of Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli.

Miccoli and his agent are set to meet with club officials to demand a move to St Andrew's, says the Birmingham Mail.

Palermo rejected Blues' initial offer in the region of £4 million for Miccoli, who scored 19 times in Serie A last season.

Last week sporting director Walter Sabatini said if Miccoli insisted he wanted to leave, they would negotiate a transfer.

So Miccoli is ready to force the issue and open up the way for Blues, according to the feedback to St Andrew's from the 30-year-old's camp.