Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy says Kieffer Moore’s ‘head’s not really elsewhere’ and has confirmed the striker will be sold in this transfer window.

The Blues signed the 6ft 5in striker from National League side Forest Green Rovers last January.

The 25-year-old made 11 substitute appearances for the Blues at the back end of last season, then scored 13 goals on loan at League One club Rotherham in the first half of this campaign.

Rotherham, Peterborough and Bradford – all chasing promotion in the third-tier – all made recent bids, but it now looks like Championship club Barnsley, fresh from a Chinese takeover, are leading the chase for a reported £750k deal.

“It will be decided over the next few days,” said McCarthy. “He’s cup-tied anyway so he’s not involved with us (in an FA Cup third round tie with Sheffield United at Portman Road tomorrow).

“I do think, after he trained with us yesterday, that his head’s not really here. That’s for certain.”

• Why Peterborough pulled out of the race to sign Moore

The Blues boss continued: “He was hardly well-liked or loved – I remember the crowd cheering when he headed a ball at one stage when he was here.

“But he’s gone and improved and had a great time at Rotherham where he’s much more loved and revered, that’s for sure.

“I could tell yesterday when he trained that, with so much interest in him, his head was elsewhere and he will probably end up elsewhere.”

Asked if the club had accepted any bids, McCarthy replied: “I’m not sure, there are a lot of people interested.

“In a day when we have all the social media that goes on, never mind people talking and sending messages all around the world, it’s very difficult to keep anything quiet. Why would it be kept quiet?

“The end result of all this was he either stayed at Rotherham or he came back and played with us – after which he couldn’t go anywhere else and couldn’t be loaned out under the two-club rule.

“He’s not playing in front of Garns (Joe Garner) and Waggy (Martyn Waghorn), that’s for sure, so he doesn’t want to come back and be on the bench because he wants to be playing. He’s had a great time at Rotherham scoring so many goals.

“Kieffer sees his head elsewhere and I’m cool with that.”

McCarthy added: “We have an option on him and could keep him but I think he’s ready to leave and wants to leave. I can’t bring him back and give him assurances he will be in the team, I don’t see that happening.”