Mick McCarthy has insisted he has not taken any calls regarding striker David McGoldrick during the transfer window, but revealed there is a plan in place to replace the forward should he move on.
McGoldrick’s contract is due to expire in the summer, with the club unusually not holding an option to extend the deal, while the likes of Cardiff, Birmingham and now Aston Villa are said to have had an interest in signing the 30-year-old.
But while McCarthy admits owner Marcus Evans has been contacted by a number of agents regarding McGoldrick, he has not heard of any serious interest.
“I’m interested in him,” McCarthy said when asked if there had been any interest in McGoldrick.
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“You know what, I think Marcus has had a number of calls but it’s just agents spoofing, ringing round trying to create a deal where there isn’t one.
“I tell them all - ‘tell the manager to ring me’. Someone said Birmingham might be interested but I thought ‘ that’s funny, Steve Cotterill is a good friend of mine and I just picked the phone up and rang him about Glees (Stephen Gleeson)’. ‘Cotts, is he available’ and that’s as simple as it was done.
“So if there is anybody (interested in McGoldrick) they had better pick the phone up and ring me – but I’ve not had any calls.
“I’m not looking for any calls and, as close as it (the transfer window) gets to shutting, the less I’m looking to take any.
“I’m hoping not but, if they do, we’ll just have to talk to them.”
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McCarthy was then asked if there was a plan in place, should McGoldrick move on during the January window
Putting his feet up on the table, McCarthy replied: “We’ve all been sat like this, doing nothing.
“We’ve not looked, not given it any consideration he might leave at all,” he continued, with his tongue firmly in his cheek.
“I’m a professional at this, I’ve been doing it 25 years so yes, we have considered the fact that might happen.
“That’s why, when we get injuries, we can go and get Carter-Vickers and Gleeseon. We tend to work at it, just to let you know in case you thought we let our guard down.”
When asked if there had been any discussions regarding a new contract for McGoldrick, McCarthy replied: “Didz might want to leave with me. We don’t know. We could leave hand-in-hand out the golden gates here.”
McCarthy was then asked about his own future, with his contract up in the summer, and the Town boss said: “You will find out, won’t you, at some stage. But other than that I’m not prepared to say anything else.”
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It has been reported the Blues want £500,000 for McGoldrick but McCarthy once again insisted that is the work of agents looking to take their slice of the deal.
He said: “The agents always love to have a price because they go to another club and say ‘I can get him out for £750,000 and then they come back and it ends up at £500,000 and they present a good deal and can get paid, I suppose.”
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