Liverpool target Jermaine Pennant expects to start the season as a Birmingham player despite interest from the Anfield club.

Rafael Benitez has already had a £3.5million bid rejected for the former Arsenal trainee earlier this summer but the Reds are reportedly ready to further test Birmingham's resolve with an improved bid.

Having boosted the coffers by selling Emile Heskey to Wigan for £5.5million Steve Bruce's side, relegated to the Championship last season, are not under pressure to sell.

And Pennant, who vowed to stay loyal to the club after they stood by him during well-documented off-field problems, told the Birmingham Mail: "I still have two years left on my contract and Birmingham have said nothing to me about whether they want to let me go or (if) they have agreed anything with another club. And Liverpool haven't contacted me, so that's it.

"I am taking every day as it comes as a Birmingham player. All the speculation and stuff doesn't bother me. If no-one actually says anything to me, then I ignore it.

"Like I said, I'm still here and I'm looking forward to the start of the season. No-one likes to get relegated. And we shouldn't have gone down, everyone knows that.

"That's in the past now, let's look to the future, try and rebuild and get back into the Premiership. We've got some new players in who are keen to impress, and mainly the same squad as last season.

"I'm sure what we are doing, all the hard work in training, and the determination of everyone, we will take those things into the Championship. I think we've definitely got a chance of coming back up."

Blues have been made favourites to win the division having signed the likes of Cameron Jerome, Neil Danns and Stephen Kelly.

Pennant added: "Although people like Emile Heskey and Kenny Cunningham have gone, we've still got a big squad with quality players and we can push to win the league."