Che Adams: Birmingham City outpriced for Sheffield United's seven-figure target

Sheffield United striker Che Adams joined the Blades from Ilkeston Town in November 2014

Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has bemoaned his Championship rivals' 'massive' extra buying potential after being outpriced for one summer target, Sheffield United striker Che Adams.

Blues made an initial bid of £1.2m for the 20-year-old non-league discovery.

But they have had a second offer turned down for the former Ilkeston FC man.

"You can name six or seven teams in this division who, if they want a deal doing, can massively overpay to get that deal done," Rowett told BBC WM.

"We're not in that position. We've almost got to try and underpay and see if we can make it happen.

"No disrespect to us, but that's just where we are in comparison to some of the others."

Adams' rise to footballing fame

Che Adams was on the radar of more than one lower league club when he joined the Blades from Northern Premier League side Ilkeston in November 2014.

After making his Blades first-team debut just a month later, he made his name when he came off the bench in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham Hotspur, scoring twice in the space of four minutes.

He again showed his liking for the big occasion in May 2015 when he netted one of the Blades' goals in the 5-5 League One play-off second leg against Swindon Town.

And, after signing a new three-year deal last summer, he netted 12 more goals in a Blades career that has so far brought him 54 appearances, 17 of them as a substitute, earning him a lot of interested admirers.