Town boss Mick McCarthy says there is a potential deal on the cards for trialist striker Leon Best and that he is edging closer to making another addition to his squad.

Former Rotherham and Newcastle frontman Best, 29, scored for the Blues U23s in Monday’s 3-2 defeat to Birmingham.

“I thought he did fine in the U23s game,” McCarthy said. “He scored a really good goal and he’s trained with us today and he’ll train with us tomorrow.

“There is a potential deal on the cards for him. He brings something different and bear in mind we’ve got two or three international breaks where Murph will be away and there’s the potential for him to come back with a stress or a strain.

“We’ve got Didz out until November, probably 12 weeks, 10 to 12 weeks, so a bit of extra fire power won’t do us any harm.”

McCarthy says he is likely to make at least one further addition to his squad before the transfer window closes next Wednesday, probably a loanee.

“There is but it is kind of dependent on other things falling a little bit. But we’re getting closer and closer, I think,” he said.

McCarthy admitted that he looked at West Ham winger Martin Samuelsen, who joined Blackburn on loan this morning, but says another still-ongoing target has been of more serious interest.

“There were a number of players that we’ve been looking at,” he added. “I’ve got somebody else I’m looking at.

“I like Martin, I saw him play the other night, but I do think that we’ve got enough young ‘uns in the team.

“We’ve got some of ours, like Bish, who is still very young, Dozzer is still very young and the Championship is a brutal league, to be honest with you.

“A bit of Championship experience would be my preference. So we never really got to that stage and there were a lot of clubs that were looking at him.”

McCarthy, who revealed he isn't targeting goalkeepers, central defenders or central midfield players, refused to comment on links with Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong: “If I sign anybody you’ll get notified.”

The Town boss has made defender Piotr Malarczyk, midfielder Giles Coke and winger Cameron Stewart available for transfer but says there’s been no movement so far.

“They’re all still here, but this next week is going to be fun, I think, because there are going to be a lot of players who are going to be at clubs and not get games. And clubs can’t take them after next Wednesday.”

He added: “I think there’ll be players who will be prepared to go out and play somewhere. I’m not on about my players but players at other clubs where maybe what they would like is one thing but what they can get is a totally different thing.

“But what they can get is football, and when they tell you their job title it’s footballer - go and play football.”

McCarthy says there could be interest in his younger fringe players from clubs in the lower leagues before the window closes.

Photo: Action Images

HarryS_H added 16:49 - Aug 25 Best is the kind of player who will be looking to impress and his age and experience at this level means he could be a useful signing even if he's just filing in when injuries occur then why not. And hiso previous partnership with mcgoldrick could be very good if they can both have a run of games and stay fit, partnerships are better than individuals up top and we haven't found the two that work best together at the moment maybe best can be part of that. And bringing in the experience of best and one more addition could work and if not we have lots of youngsters ready to go, give the squad a chance!

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TimmyH added 16:51 - Aug 25 30 years old next month and another player you can put into the bracket of' maybe 5 years ago...'. McCarthy probably thinking along the lines of well he did ok for Rotherham last season in the Championship (as per Ward) last season he'll do ok for us. In Wards case I can understand it but not so sure for this journeyman.
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norfstanda added 17:33 - Aug 25 The best the town can get......
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norfstanda added 17:34 - Aug 25 Not the best signing in the world.......
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Seasider added 18:16 - Aug 25 Don't think we will lose out to anybody on this one like we did with Samuelson.
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Tony88 added 18:21 - Aug 25 Why don't you wait and see if he signs and plays if he is a donkey I am sure all the moaners will tell us.
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ArnieM added 19:54 - Aug 25 whinge, whinge, whinge, whinge, whinge ...f Luckin WHINGE . Some of you lot need to visit your GP and get some bloody anti depressants FFS!
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braveblue added 20:03 - Aug 25 What a dreadful signing this would be. More money wasted on dross.
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runningout added 20:15 - Aug 25 ArnieM guess you are happy with recent signings??
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brittaniaman added 20:18 - Aug 25 Well I think Best could be a good back up for Murphy, who appears to be a little jaded at the moment and is certainly not the player we had two years ago, as I said before the Murphy of old could have had a hat trick last Sunday????
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lonelyblue added 20:42 - Aug 25 runningout, what's your problem with our recent signings?
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Keaneish added 20:54 - Aug 25 ArnieM - tell us something positive about this prospective signing then will you? You're always pointing the finger at people for having objective views on bad policy at this club. Those expressing a "negative" view on this are, once again, bang on. What could Leon Best bring to improve this squad? He's a journeyman in his 30s with two long term cruciate injuries to his name and an abysmal scoring record in recent years... What is the point when we've just signed Varney?

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mos added 20:59 - Aug 25 I do think we need a striker who's going to score 15 goals plus. Let's give him a chance, he's a known player (yes, known for club hopping) but he could score goals. If he scores 11-13 goals that's a huge win, if he scores none, well it's a lesson learnt. Some more 'proper' signs/loans like we have done with grant and ward would be hugely big for us, particularly in the winger and potentially striker positions.

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planetblue_2011 added 21:03 - Aug 25 Think best could do ok for us, he's worth a chance. Sign Jonny Williams on a permenant basis, he's what we need in midfield. Get your check book out Mr Evans!!
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pragmatic added 21:22 - Aug 25 Best is championship experienced & with younger players in our squad need the balance & more importantly back up if Murphy gets injured,
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braveblue added 21:34 - Aug 25 Best does not score many goals. What is difficult to understand about that?
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blueboy1981 added 22:53 - Aug 25 ....... just remember - every player mentioned as a potential / actual signing associated with this Club - becomes a 'world class star' in the eyes of a certain breed of Supporter. Seen it time, and time again. And will continue to.
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blues1 added 00:31 - Aug 26 While he wouldn't have been my 1st choice to sign, for God's sake, some of u give the guy a chance. If he comes in and scores goals then it's great. If not then what have we lost other than a bit of money in wages.
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strikalite added 04:41 - Aug 26 No doubt Ward put in a word for him as both played for Rotherham last season......seemed to think Rotherham did bloody well too with these two in their attack... Reserve judgement and give him a chance..
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battyblue added 05:46 - Aug 26 Blues1) we have lost the opportunity to sign someone decent and lost points if said striker is not up to the task and wasted money which could have been better spent.
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arablue added 08:26 - Aug 26 If Best joins us, let us give him a fair go...
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Razor added 10:36 - Aug 26 The whole problem is plain for all to see----we have a dodgy owner who will not give Mick any money and so he has to his shopping in Lidl"s or Aldi"s. This will of course get us nowhere-----again.
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bonamassablue added 18:21 - Aug 27 I'm quite happy with today. No, we didn't turn it on in the second half but we were positive in the first 45 and that is the type of home game we drew last season and dropped 2 points on so many occasions. Winning can only breed confidence. Back 4 was solid but poor Freddie is so lacking in confidence and pace. Fingers crossed for an effective striker coming in before the deadline.

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