TONY Mowbray admits Fulham do have the option of recalling Jay Stansfield from Birmingham City this month amid interest from Sunderland and other Championship clubs - but he expects the striker to stay at St Andrew's.

Stansfield was a target for Mowbray in the summer  when he was in charge of the Black Cats and at one stage he looked set to join Sunderland before eventually heading for Birmingham.

He's impressed so far this season but Birmingham's struggles under previous boss Wayne Rooney led to speculation that Fulham were considering recalling the 21-year-old and sending him elsewhere.

Sunderland have monitored the situation, while interest has also emerged from rivals Ipswich Town.

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Stansfield came off the bench to create one goal and score the other in Birmingham's come from behind FA Cup win over Hull City on Tuesday night, with Mowbray revealing afterwards that he's held talks with the striker since taking charge and is confident he'll stay put this month.

He said: “I have been trying to get hold of Marco the last couple of days. I get on well with Marco Silva and I’m pretty sure he would have been telling me if there were any issues or problems.

“I think the kid loves it here, ultimately. I’ve had a one-on-one with him and looked him in the eye. There are other interested parties, I think he wants to stay here and score goals. He likes the dressing room, he likes the players. I think he’s here to progress his career.

“If he wants to play in the Premier League then he needs to be playing in the Championship. And you have to be careful sometimes when the perception of a more successful club come along, nearer the top of the table.

"Maybe you’ve got to be careful you don’t go there and play two games of the last 19, whereas there’s every chance he’s going to play just about all the minutes in this team. I think he’s in a good place here.

“I don’t know. But there is a very tight window for things to happen now if needs be.”