Doncaster Rovers defender George Friend is understood to have opted to join the Blues ahead of Championship rivals Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest. The 24-year-old central defender or right-back has long been on Paul Jewell’s radar with reports of interest in the former Exeter man first surfacing last summer.

Friend was thought to be close to joining Middlesbrough having been made available for a fee of £250,000 with Nottingham Forest — managed by his old Rovers boss Sean O’Driscoll — also believed to be interested.

Having become Exeter’s youngest-ever captain and helped the Grecians back into the Football League, the Barnstaple-born defender moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of the August 2008 transfer window for an initial fee of £350,000.

Loan spells at Millwall, Southend, Scunthorpe and Exeter followed as Friend managed only six starts and two sub appearances in two years with the Midlands club. In the summer of 2010, the 6ft 1in tall defender joined Doncaster on a two-year deal, extending his terms by a further season last year.

Photo: Action Images

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