Birmingham City have received a significant boost after one of their transfer targets declined a move to a rival club.

According to Football Insider, Josh Laurent has rejected an opportunity to join Turkish side Sivasspor. Earlier reports from TEAMtalk indicated that Stoke City had accepted a bid for Laurent, but the midfielder decided against playing in the Super Lig. Football Insider further reports that while Birmingham City are interested in signing Laurent, negotiating a fee with Stoke might prove challenging. They also note that Laurent is content to remain at Stoke and wait for a more appealing opportunity, having turned down the move to Turkey.

The 29-year-old played in 40 games for Stoke last season and retained his position as club captain following Steven Schumacher’s arrival. With one year left on his contract at the bet365 Stadium, Stoke appear open to selling him after accepting an approach.

In other news, Bolton Wanderers have been linked with an unexpected move for Brest winger Karamoko Dembele. According to Darren Witcoop, Derby County, Portsmouth, and Sheffield Wednesday have all made offers for the former Celtic prodigy, who has also attracted interest from the Premier League.

The 21-year-old had an impressive season with Brest, contributing 14 assists and nine goals in 23 appearances. Despite his success, Brest is surprisingly willing to let Dembele go, even though he has two years remaining on his contract. With previous interest from Everton, West Ham, and Leeds, Bolton may face a tough challenge in persuading Dembele to stay in League One rather than moving to the Championship.