Birmingham City have signed former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins on a six-month loan from Rubin Kazan, according to the Russian club.

GettyImagesObafemi Martins was part of Nigeria's World Cup campaign

Martins moved to Newcastle in 2006, but chose to depart for Wolfsburg in 2009. He lasted just a year in Germany before moving on to Rubin for a reported fee of €17million and, having failed to settle at the club, has now decided to return to England.

"He has just had a child and he asked to be let go to England, as he wants to go closer to his family," Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev confirmed.

Birmingham have yet to confirm the deal themselves, but it reported that the Nigerian international turned down a move to West Brom in order to move to St Andrews.