Bristol City are reported to be in talks with Derby County regarding Town target Steve Davies. The Blues have been chasing the 24-year-old all summer but view the Rams’ asking price, believed to be £1 million, as excessive, while the Robins are also long-time admirers of the former Tranmere frontman having previously been linked with him back in May.

Davies is set to leave Derby this summer for unspecified family reasons with a move to the south, ideally nearer London, his preferred option.

Speaking on Saturday, Blues boss Paul Jewell, who signed Davies during his time in charge at Pride Park, said Town and the Rams were far from agreeing a fee: “Steve Davies is a player I took to Derby and one I admire, but it’s all down to cost. If the deal was right for us and we could afford him, we’d take him.

“People want you to go out and buy players but it’s not a bottomless pit I’ve got, so I’ve got to be prudent in the way I try and work.

“I spoke to Derby and Nigel Clough over the summer and asked about the fee and the fee is far in excess [of what we can afford]. Don’t ask me what that is because that’s between the clubs, but I haven’t got that amount of money.”

Speaking early last week, Derby boss Nigel Clough felt Davies's exit might be getting closer: "There is still a fair bit of interest in him. The interest seemed to cool at the end of last week but there are one or two possibilities now and we will know more towards the weekend."

Blackburn Rovers, who are looking for more strikers after recent signing Leon Best was ruled out for six months with a knee injury, were also recently reported to be interested.

Bristol City have also had a £1.5 million bid for Sam Baldock, another player the Blues have shown interest in this sumer, accepted by West Ham, according to reports.

Meanwhile, former Blue Connor Wickham has been linked with a loan move from Sunderland to Wolves as part of a deal which would take striker Steven Fletcher to the Stadium of Light on a permanent basis.

Town have been linked with a loan move for the 19-year-old on a number of occasions since the end of last season with Jewell confirming that Town have “first say” if the Black Cats make him available on a short-term basis.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

fourpee added 12:34 - Jul 31 Nevermind - we move on!!
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alliedaz added 12:35 - Jul 31 dood i hope he goes there and conner goes to wolves coz thats the price you pay when you sit and wait and wait and wait and think you have a chance to get something for nothing and even fiend wants to go to a team which he thinks is a promotion team and clearly thinks we aint and i agree
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Wallingford_Boy added 12:37 - Jul 31 pardon?
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bluearmy78 added 12:37 - Jul 31 How much money have Bristol City got as they had a 1.5mil bid accepted for Baldock!! Can't see Wickham coming in either, has Jewell got a plan c,d,e??
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JimmyJazz added 12:40 - Jul 31 how does this 'first option' work when he's offered in exchange for a signing?
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village_blue added 12:43 - Jul 31 Lets just hope thar Davies goes to Bristol City and that Wickham goes to Wolves. Would like to see Baldock on a permanant move but can't see us stumping up that amount of cash for him. Lets just hope PJ has a plan B or C.
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baldman added 12:43 - Jul 31 I think plan c d e is loans I'm affraid gonna be along season again but also think were only 3 good signings away from playoffs
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Mark added 12:44 - Jul 31 I had thought that Bristol City were one of the weakest teams in the league with least to spend, but suddenly even they seem to have come up with £2M+ Let's remember that Jewell has only spent about £500K this summer on transfer fees, plus he has had to dramatically reduce the wage budget. I am delighted with his signings, but realistically how can we compete for promotion with teams spending multi-millions? It's another reality check that we need to be patient and wait for the long-term approach of developing youngsters to work.

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PauloJulio added 12:45 - Jul 31 Google maps... Derby to London 2h 20m...Bristol to London 2h 18m!!!
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alliedaz added 12:45 - Jul 31 soz guys think we r on plan s,t and u now and running out of letters
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JimmyJazz added 12:50 - Jul 31 If Baldock goes to Bristol then I doubt that Davies signs for them as well. Leaving us as the only interested party. Derby are holding out for more but are unlikely to get what they want
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PunchNoHopers added 12:52 - Jul 31 How close is bristol to London!! And we haven't got a bottomless pit, true I agree, but if we haven't even got 1million, ffs what is going on!!
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WickedBlue added 12:57 - Jul 31 Gutted if we don't get him. Was the one signing I really looked forward too.
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ianpeace added 13:06 - Jul 31 Never mind we could of been another portsmouth or luton town. Damn they beat us im worried there.
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blueandwhitebadger added 13:07 - Jul 31 Perhaps we do have potentially 1 mill to spend but PJ just doesn't value Davies that high?
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bluey360 added 13:10 - Jul 31 Fact Bristol City havent bid 1.5m for Baldock n why on earth would Davies go too a relegation threatening club both stories with little truth or foundation
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tractorintheloft added 13:13 - Jul 31 Some strange comments today. When the Davies link was first made we had lots of posters saying he wasn't worth the cash. I think Jewell has valued him correctly but Derby hoping someone will be desperate enough to stump up - step forward a panic buy from Bristol City with Maynard cash burning a hole. Plus it's only a link same as the Town, so perhaps they'll reach the same conclusion. Injury plagued in last year of contract = less than current asking price

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PunchNoHopers added 13:19 - Jul 31 According to sky Bristol are in talks to sign Davies, hopefully we have clinched someone else, otherwise instead of Bristol we may become relegation material this season and no one will want to sign for us!
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TownOnTheUp added 13:29 - Jul 31 The problem I see isn't the transfer fee so much as the wages. From reports and rumours, I'd say we're looking at not wanting to breach 10k a week (though I may be wrong). What kind of quality player will sign for that? We might have £2million to spend on a striker, but one of that quality will break our now rigid wage structure. The only solution I can see is to look into the lower leagues or use the dreaded loan system.

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arc added 13:36 - Jul 31 1) from where on Earth are Bristol C coming up with the cash? 2) the "family reasons... closer to London" thing makes no sense–there is clearly something else at work there. 3) striker is not a priority, so I am delighted to see us not overpay.
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mrmorisato added 13:45 - Jul 31 I say town should be patient here as the closer we get to deadline day derby will be in last chance saloon come january if hes still on their books. i dont think there are any other south based clubs interested in a player thats played 50 times in 3 or 4 seasons like clough has said "one or two interested parties" and the fact that davies has been left out of a couple of pre season games already.

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amydownes added 13:51 - Jul 31 tractorintheloft is absolutely right, the reaction early on was that we didn't want the club to overspend on a striker (a non-essential signing, as arc says). Sit tight and wait and see what happens, we've been doing it all summer another couple of weeks won't hurt. P.S. TownOnTheUp though I see your point Chambers was reportedly well over £10k, i think we'll offer higher wages to the higher quality players - like Davies. Stick to your guns Jewell, I trust in you!

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Surco72 added 13:55 - Jul 31 Wouldnt pay any more for Davies due to him proving his fitness . I personally would enquire about Maynard from West Ham as he must be well down the pecking order there with all of the new signings and has always scored at this level ?
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jas0999 added 13:59 - Jul 31 This is worrying. If we are being out-muscled by Bristol City something is wrong. We have to be competitive, but have not been on the whole this pre-season. Unlike some on here - I think a new striker is a top priority - we only have Chopra and Scotland! Not enough. Need one if not two more.
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amydownes added 14:01 - Jul 31 jas0999: not long ago we had 2 central defenders and no goal keepers. They were the priority singings and we have made them (though admittedly we need more) Look forward to seeing how Ronan Murray does tonight
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