Carsley joins Birmingham

Lee Carsley has decided to finish his time at Everton and help Birmingham City make an immediate return from the Championship back into the country's top flight. Carsley's contract had expired at Everton and Moyes had decided not to offer him a deal.

"My contract ran out at Everton and I was offered a new deal there but I felt it was time to move on," Carsley told Birmingham's official website.

"I wanted a new challenge and I didn't necessarily want to go to another Premier League club and struggle with them.

"Being realistic, we finished fifth in the league with Everton so I wasn't going to go to any of the teams above them and I couldn't see the point of going to any of the teams below them.

"So I feel I've done the next best thing and joined a club that's building for the future and trying to get where Everton are.

"I'd seen the job that Alex McLeish had done at Rangers and Scotland, where he had performed miracles.

"Alex just came across to me as a winner and his visions for the club match my own."