Kyle Lafferty: Birmingham City sign Norwich City's Northern Ireland striker on loan

Kyle Lafferty has not scored a league goal for Norwich since January 2015

Birmingham City have signed Norwich City's Northern Ireland international striker Kyle Lafferty on loan until the end of the season.

Enniskillen-born Lafferty, 28, has had less than an hour's first-team action for the Canaries this season, having made just three substitute appearances.

He has played more times for his country than his club this campaign.

He has won four caps and scored in two successive games in September to help his side make it to Euro 2016.

The widely travelled striker started his career at Burnley, going out on loan to Darlington before joining Rangers for £3m in June 2008.

Since then, he has had moves to Swiss side FC Sion, Palermo in Sicily and on to Norwich in June 2014.

He was loaned out by the Canaries this time last season to Turkish side Rizespor, but a move by Leeds United to get him in January ultimately fell though. This deal comes with a recall option for Norwich after 28 days.

Blues, who have scored just four goals in the last nine games, now stand ninth in the Championship, six points off the play-offs, although with a game in hand.

BBC WM's Blues reporter Richard Wilford

"The acquisition of Lafferty is interesting on two fronts. First, it suggests a further loosening of the financial ties that have bound Birmingham City in recent seasons - an experienced international striker does not come cheap.

"It also indicates an end on the over-reliance on striker Clayton Donaldson. He has been an indisputable starter under Gary Rowett over the last two seasons, one of the first names in the team sheet.

"But Lafferty desperately needs football ahead of Euro 2016 with Northern Ireland, and will surely have to be given opportunities at St Andrew's.

"Will this mean a rest for Donaldson, or will Rowett go against the grain and field two strikers? "Either way it is an ambitious move at a time when the club are in danger of slipping out of play-off contention."

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