Rowett eyes Fabbrini stay

The Italy international signed on loan until the end of the season from Watford last week and is set to make his debut against Rotherham on Friday.

Fabbrini spent time on loan at Millwall this season, scoring once in 12 matches, and has eight games to impress at St Andrew's with Blues 15th in the Sky Bet Championship.

But Rowett is looking to keep the 24-year-old, who made his Italy debut against England in 2012, beyond the end of the season.

He said: "As with all our loan signings there is an outside chance that we might be able to do something for next season. It's something we did a lot before at Burton where we liked to bring loan players in that we felt we might have a chance of signing at some point down the line.

"We just wanted someone as an additional player alongside Andy Shinnie that can play in that role specifically, rather than trying to fit someone else in there - like trying to accommodate one of the strikers.

"He's the type of player that will lift the crowd and give us something a little bit different. He has really quick feet and is a very exciting player who gets himself half a yard.

"I think he's the sort of player that fans will want to come and watch at this stage of the season. If we can get someone in like that, that can just give us a little bit of a spark and a little bit of a lift in a few of those games then we will."