Paul Hurst remains interested in signing defender Curtis Tilt but insisted he has other irons in the fire as negotiations continue regarding the Blackpool man.
Tilt has handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move to Ipswich, with Derby also showing tentative interest, while negotiations have shown no significant progress since the defender indicated his desire to move on.
Blackpool initially valued the 26-year-old at £1million, with the Blues having two bids up to £600,000 turned down, while it at one stage looked as though the two clubs were closing in on a compromise. However, Ipswich owner Marcus Evans is understood to be growing tired with the disjointed nature of the negotiations.
Tilt, a player Hurst first showed interest in at Shrewsbury, remains a leading target but the Ipswich manager insisted he is ready to move on if negotiations reach a dead end.
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“As far as I’m concerned that situation hasn’t changed,” he said.
“I guess, like some of the other lads we’ve been linked to, he’s not my player at this moment in time if he ever will be (I don’t know). So I don’t want to go into that one too much.
“There’s no point giving up on anything just yet but what I would say and what I’ve made clear to certain people, is just because you’re interested in that player doesn’t mean you’re only interested in him and no-one else.
“If it isn’t going to happen we have to have other things in mind we can act upon. If a deal can be done somewhere else then it might be we are better going for that because I want a squad in place and want to know what I’m working with.
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“That’s balanced out with some patience but, if we can get a deal done and like the player then let’s get it done.”
Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer said: “There is obviously still interest in him and that will continue until the window closes next week.
“Until I get told anything different, he’s training with us. He’s been magnificent the lad, in terms of how he’s conducted himself and how he’s behaved.
“Last weekend at Crewe, I just noticed he was a bit distracted - as any human would be - on the morning of the game, so I decided to pull him out of it having spoken to him. He’s available for Saturday as far as I’m aware.”
While the Blues have so far been frustrated in their attempts to sign both Tilt and Shrewsbury pair Toto Nsiala and Jon Nolan, Hurst admits the situation is one which could change in an instant.
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“One phone call could change everything,” he said. “We could have up to four new players in for Saturday if everything just suddenly went. I don’t believe it will. Whether or not we can get even one in for Saturday, we’ll see.
“Then I’ll have decision to make whether to include them in the squad because it will be so late in the day in terms of preparations for the game.
“I could sit here and say nothing is close, but it might be. It’s not in my hands and that’s when it gets frustrating. Patience, a word I’ve used numerous times since joining the club, is something I’m having to show.
“A lot of these situations, it does feel like you are in this silly game. It’s a case of who blinks first. We’ll just try to make the best call we can as a football club if there is business to be done.”
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