"I tried to buy Mikael when he went back to Chelsea after the one season on loan with Birmingham. We were keen at Rangers to gazump Birmingham but it just didn't happen," McLeish has said.
"I think Mikael had such an affection for this club and he wanted to come back here.
"I've seen him in international football - and we got an international type performance against Reading from Mikael. We just hope we can keep him fit because he is very important to the squad.
"We definitely are looking to Mikael to be a big player for us."