Birmingham City have signed Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio on loan until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old Finnish international, who has been capped 46 times by his country, joined the Wearsiders from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2008.

He featured in 23 games for Sunderland and scored the opening goal in their recent 4-1 Carling Cup win over Norwich City.

Tainio signed a deal at White Hart Lane when he left Auxerre in July 2005, and went on to play 83 times for Spurs.

He began his career playing for TP-47 and then Haka in his homeland, before joining Auxerre in 1997.

He made 150 appearances for the French club, playing his part in guiding them into the UEFA Champions League in 2002 and lifting the French Cup in 2003.