BIRMINGHAM City have slapped a £1.1 million asking price on Burnley transfer target Dele Adebola.

According to sources close to St Andrews, the Clarets have tabled a £750,000 bid for the big striker who scored City's opening goal in their 3-2 win over Burnley last Saturday.

Burnley are also thought to be prepared to add an extra payment linked to a successful promotion challenge.

But the Blues want £1.1 million up front of the Nigerian-born striker who moved to Birmingham from Crewe for £1 million in February, 1998.

Adebola has scored six times for Birmingham so far this season but has not been a regular in the starting line-up and remains on the transfer-list.

Burnley are understood to have tried to sign the player on loan earlier this season but Blues boss Trevor Francis wouldn't sanction a temporary move.

However, with seven-front line strikers on their books and a potential £1.5 million bid for on-loan Celtic front man Mark Burchill in the pipeline, City are ready to part company with Adebola at the right price.

Burnley this week paid a record £1.1 million fee for Stockport County goalscorer Ian Moore, who looks set to make his full debut at Watford tomorrow.

But the Clarets are clearly not resting on their laurels as they look to cement a top-six place and the big, strong Adebola would provide an extra type of attacking option if they are prepared to up their bid.

Stan Ternent's men face another serious challenge when they go to second-placed Watford without the injured duo of Glen Little and Lee Briscoe and with Lennie Johnrose not yet fit to return. "The next few weeks will test our resources because we've lost Lee Briscoe with eight stitches to his knee and Glen Little and Lennie Johnrose," the manager admitted.

"Bally and Branchy both picked up cards on Tuesday as well, which takes them to five so it (beating Norwich) wasn't without its downside.

"It's no different to any other team though. All sides are going to run up against obstacles and you have to cope with them."

The Clarets could go third tomorrow but Ternent insisted: "We need 50-plus points and that's still the yardstick. The way we have started it would seem a foregone conclusion that we will be all right. But I've been in football far too long to take anything for granted.

"We're playing particularly well at the moment and things are going well. You have to map a certain number of points and that includes getting them on the board as soon as possible.

"But I quite like being in the top half-dozen. I think it is recognition for the players' efforts. But other than that, you win nowt in November."

Burnley from: Michopoulos, Weller, Branch, Cox, Davis, Thomas, Mellon, Ball, Cook, Payton, Moore, Jepson, Mullin, Cooke, Robinson, Armstrong, West, Crichton.

Watford from: Baardsen, Cox, Page, Ward, Robinson, Hyde, Palmer, Nielsen, Mooney, Noel--Williams, Smart, Smith, Wooter, Helguson, Gibbs, Jobson, Chamberlain.

The Clarets youth team are away to Stockport tomorrow.