Sky Sports are this evening reporting that Cameron Stewart has been the subject of a bid by Leicester, that was “immediately rebuffed” by City.

It’s not difficult to see why Leicester, struggling in the bottom half of the table, would want him – since Nigel Pearson jumped ship to join the Foxes the two club’s fortunes have differed somewhat. City are in the play-offs places despite a festive blip, while Leicester are eight places and seven points behind the Tigers and Stewart’s pace and trickery would doubtless enliven their stuttering season.

However, relations between Leicester and City are somewhat fractious since Pearson’s protracted move south – Mr Allam stated last month, perhaps a trifle over-excitedly, “I bet you that if Nigel goes to Leicester’s chairman and says he wants to approach us for one of our players, their chairman will say ‘not Allam again, go for someone else”. If Sky are to be believed – and their track record isn’t bad – then they’ve done just that.

Letting one of our star players leave to a club managed by a former City boss and with an estimation of self-worth somewhat out of kilter with reality would not go down terribly well with the Tiger Nation, nor would it persuade Nick Barmby to take the job permanently. Many, many reasons for City to advise Nigel Pearson to try saving his job by looking elsewhere.