Pandi sticking with Blues

'The Rifle' Walter Pandiani has rejected the possibility of a move to Real Mallorca in order to battle for his place at Blues.

The Spanish side are believed to have put in a £700,000 bid but Pandiani, who has recently bought a house just a few hundred yards from the Wast Hills training facility, has chosen to remain and battle for a starting berth.

The Uruguayan will face competition for that spot from Emile Heskey, Mikael Forssell and new signing Chris Sutton, plus any new signings Steve Bruce makes - the latest striker to be linked with the club being QPR's Marc Bircham.

Pandiani's agent Francis Martin said: 'Walter did not want to move to Mallorca because he preferred to stay with Blues.

'Walter knows that things have not gone well this season but he still feels he can make a significant contribution and he did not feel that going to Mallorca was quite right.'

The 29-year-old is also believed to be attracting interest from Monaco and Marseille, and may still be offloaded in the transfer window but, for now, Pandiani is staying at Blues.

Though Pandiani has been drawing criticism from some quarters, his commitment both on and off the field cannot be faulted. Until another striker is brought in, it would be foolish to sell Pandiani, especially for such a low amount.

The player has tons of technical ability, and we may begin to see the best of him once the team's performances start picking up.

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