Marlon King set for Medical At Birmingham

Coventry City's hopes of keeping striker appear to be over. Marlon King has returned from his family holiday in Dubai ind is likely to be going straight to St Andrews for a medical prior to signing a three year deal with Birmingham City.Coventry City released a statement last Thursday saying that King had verbally agreed to stay at the club that gave him the chance to resurrect his football career following his release from prison nearly a year ago and that he would sign a two year deal on his return from holiday.King's agent later denied the claims, made by City manager Andy Thorn who said King had phoned him to tell him he was staying at Coventry and club chairman Ken Dulieu, who confirmed Thorn's version of events.The 31 year old striker now looks increasingly likely to agree terms, thought to be a three year deal worth around £15,000 a week, at newly relegated Birmingham City.

The news, if it proves to be true, will come as a huge disappointment to the fans who have taken King to their hearts and who have supported the troubled striker in his first season since his prison term for sexual assault. Andy Thorn and Ken Dulieu will also be disappointed at losing King after putting in huge amounts of work at attempting to persuade King to remain a Sky Blue.

Coventry City fans, already dissatisfied with the whole King saga will inevitably feel betrayed by King and his agent Tony Finnigan as they not only gave him their wholehearted support, they voted him their Player of the Year as well. His loss will mean that Thorn will be left with the huge problem of finding a striker that can score as many goals as regularly as King did last season.

However, it is understood that Thorn has done the ground work to find a replacement striker should King leave The Ricoh and he has also replacements lined up for Westwood and Gunnarsson should they both decide their futures lie elsewhere.