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Scott Hogan has admitted he was relieved when Birmingham City came calling in January - because there was little interest in his services from other clubs.

The Aston Villa striker was allowed to cut his stuttering loan spell at Stoke City short in the last transfer window to find a new home.

But having been frozen out at the Bet365 Stadium to the point where he appeared more for the club’s under 23s side than the first-team in his final month there, few suitors came forward.

"To be honest, I was speaking to my agent and it was difficult because there weren't many clubs after me, just due to the fact that I hadn't played,” Hogan told Sky Sports.

(Image: Getty Images)

But Pep Clotet promised Hogan he would become a key member of the team at St Andrew’s - and the forward has already scored as many league goals for Blues (seven) as he has for Villa.

“But, in the end, when Birmingham came in, they guaranteed that, as long as I was fit and doing well, I'd play every game,” he said.

“I'd not had that for about three years. It felt right just to do it for myself, to get back playing again and it's been working well so far."

With form like that, there have been calls for Blues to make Hogan's stay at St Andrew's a permanent one.

And Clotet has dropped several hints he wants that to happen, saying in February: “I was always very clear he was a player for us.

“I always focused on what he did at Brentford and I was very happy when the club managed to bring him in. I think if he is with us next season it is very positive for everyone.

“We are very happy with him, it is a very symbiotic relationship with him, he is using us, we are using him. He feels very good here."