Paul Hurst is hopeful of landing an experienced, physical, striker before Friday’s loan deadline but has admitted a move for Curtis Tilt is now unlikely.
The Blackpool central defender has been an Ipswich target since the early days of Hurst’s reign but tough negotiations with Blackpool stalled before the deadline for permanent deals on August 5.
That is again the case ahead of the loan deadline, with the latest impasse understood to relate to Blackpool revising the terms of the deal once again and insisting on a more significant up-front payment.
Hurst still wants to add a central defender to his squad, while he is also after an experienced frontman to help a side which has scored just four league goals so far this season.
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“I would have liked to (sign Tilt) but I have to say that’s looking very unlikely,” Hurst said regarding the Blackpool defender.
“We’re looking at someone who has a physical presence, certainly, and, if possible, someone who has experience alongside that,” Hurst said when asked about his search for a striker.
“But at the same time what you want in an ideal world and what you can actually get don’t always come together. We’ll see if we can make something like that kind of deal happen.”
Hurst confirmed he made an enquiry for Derby striker Cameron Jerome, but the former Norwich forward is understood to be heading to Turkey despite interest from a string of Championship sides this summer, while he is not keen to represent the Blues due to his Carrow Road connections.
“He was one we enquired about certainly, yeah,” Hurst said.
Young midfielder Tristan Nydam joined Scottish side St Johnstone on loan earlier this week and, while boss Hurst is keen for some of his younger players to head out on loan and gain experience, he admitted there may not be any temporary departures prior to the deadline.
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“Possibly not, but that depends on what we do,” he said.
“The issue is, with getting closer to that deadline, one thing I’m not prepared to do is let people just go out because we have to look after ourselves first and foremost.
“If that means having a couple of extra bodies here in the end then I would rather that than feeling we have left ourselves a little bit short.
“Possible outs, but that will depend on what business we do first.”
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