Blues manager Mick McCarthy says clubs have come up with a variety of reasons why they won’t let their players go when he has made enquiries as he looks to add to his squad during the January transfer window.

McCarthy’s primary objective is to add to his options up front with Daryl Murphy having joined Newcastle in August, while a second striker is also thought to be on his radar with Luke Varney having moved on to Burton Albion this week with the 34-year-old’s short-term contract coming to an end.

Rotherham’s Danny Ward and Fulham’s Cauley Woodrow are believed to be top of his list with discussions believed to be ongoing.

The Town boss has also said he is looking to add to other areas of his squad, among them central midfield.

We understand Brighton’s Richie Towell is one of those being eyed, the Irishman having been unable to break into the Seagulls’ side since moving from Dundalk a year ago.

The 25-year-old made one FA Cup start and one play-off sub appearance last season, but one Championship match as an unused sub and two Checkatrade Trophy games for their U23s is the nearest he has come to the first team this term.

Goalscoring midfielder Towell was watched by Blues boss McCarthy in 2014 before he signed a one-year deal with Dundalk.

So far McCarthy has been unable to add anyone to his squad and at yesterday’s press conference said he didn’t expect to do so before Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Lincoln with clubs rebuffing their interest in players for a mix of reasons.

“So far we’re not having any joy, we’re just getting the same custard pies in the face,” he said.

Why is that? “I could give you a litany of reasons - they haven’t got their players, they’re looking to sign somebody in, they haven’t got a big enough squad, he’s in for cover, I’ve got an injury or a couple of African Nations [call-ups mean other players aren’t available], there are loads of reasons why.

“And they’re legitimate reasons why, I’m not giving them as excuses. All the reasons I would have used or have used in the past.”

January is notoriously a hard month in which to do business but McCarthy says sometimes the completion of one deal leads to movement on others.

“I think so and I also think that the ones who have got the player that people are wanting will be asking for the absolute maximum. I don’t blame them at all, as we would,” he added.

“And sometimes it gets near the end of the window and it’s almost inevitable that they’re going to go and then they do go for maybe a bit more than has been [offered] and a bit less than they were wanting and then it’s like a pack of cards going over when deals start to get done. But we’ll see. We’ll see what happens.”

It’s no secret that Town are after a striker with Murphy having moved on in the summer, does that mean clubs are upping their prices knowing the Blues’ situation?

“Yes, of course, and Luke Varney’s gone to Burton,” McCarthy continued. “That was always likely, though. When we signed him he was an emergency signing really, he answered the call.

“He’s scored a couple for us and he’s been great around the place as usual. I thank him for that, put that on the record, he’s been great.

“But we signed him to that date because we knew that would probably happen anyway because he wants to go back and be up near his family.”

When questioned on his interest in Millers frontman Ward, McCarthy has remained tightlipped: “I wouldn’t tell you if there was.”

He added: “I won’t talk about anybody else’s players because that’s grossly unfair. If there was a manager talking about David McGoldrick or Skusey or one of my players I’d be seriously upset with them. In fact the first thing I would do is ring him.”

Asked whether it is a case of watching this space for further developments, McCarthy said: “It is.”

Photo: TWTD

Blue_Meanie added 11:31 - Jan 6 Probable main reason players won't come is YOU Dino
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prebbs007 added 11:50 - Jan 6 rfretwell That's a joke right ??? The effort and commitment of some players has been hugely in doubt all season !!! The continuous playing of players out of position and style of a Sunday pub team is bound to get the individuals down. So I'm sorry if I do you're head in but I stick by my comment. We would be much better off with a new hungry in touch manager who will improve the players and the style. What does my head in is people like you who accuse others of not going and stick their head in the sand like all is ok. We are shockingly bad and will continue to be so with him in charge and his tactics. Last weeks substitutions were the final straw for 2.5k of us at Loftus Road. Unfortunately our faceless owner still hasn't done anything about it.

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Keaneish added 11:52 - Jan 6 Ha! bang on Bluemachines.
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Lightningboy added 11:55 - Jan 6 "Other managers talking about Skusey"...? If only.
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Seasider added 12:51 - Jan 6 Agree with every word classicblue,us olduns talk a lot of sense lol. I will start to get bothered though if we are getting the same spiel in three weeks time as happened a year ago. I know Mick likes Irish Lads,due his roots no doubt;but most of his acquisitions from the Emerald Isle,have not worked out.In fact cant think of one that has. Conor Hourihane was another Irish lad,who was signed by Roy Keane,and released by PJ(another who like Wickham & Rhodes too soon);but is outstanding for Barnsley. He is the type of midfielder our club needs;but that chap with short arms and deep pockets probably wouldn't shell out enough to get him,which could also apply to the strikers on Micks list.

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IpswichFuture added 13:41 - Jan 6 Let's follow the logic through: You can only get players in January if you're prepared to pay over the odds. You will only buy players who are in demand if you are willing to pay over the odds. Our owner will not / cannot pay over the odds. We will be forced to gamble on damaged goods / loans or players nobody else wants.
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12th_Man added 13:56 - Jan 6 Other clubs don't seem to have any trouble excuses coming out
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Taricco_Fan added 13:57 - Jan 6 Quite simple. We haven't got any money and our style of football if often atrocious.
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blueboy1981 added 14:20 - Jan 6 ........ of course, there would be - strange that other Clubs don't seem to have a problem - many so called lesser lights than ourselves too. But then again, we are ITFC with McCarthy as Manager - so I guess it is a good enough reason.
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blueboy1981 added 14:23 - Jan 6 ........ not even a 'plan B' to replace Varney in the squad - same old shi-e, just a different day.
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casanovacrow added 15:25 - Jan 6 I would rather promote academy talent then spend money on less than average championship players who are surplus to requirements at other clubs. If we could get a Danny Ward in then great but if you owned him would you sell? What would you be able to get in to replace him with what we can offer? Let's face it, we don't have parachute payments so we can't get in someone tried an tested to make a difference at this level. Even the better players from lower leagues are going for much more than we can afford. I'm not Evans' biggest fan at all but on FFP he has a point, fans need to take it out on the EPL and their attempts at a self preservation society. The rules are there to stack the deck for existing clubs so the EPL just so the EPL attracts bigger investment as it provides a form of gambling insurance with their parachute payments.

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thebeat added 15:36 - Jan 6 More tosh from the Mogadon man. 4 months is what hes had to talk to other clubs/players. Just the 4 months and yet we are scrapping around again. Totally pathetic. The Murphy money will not be spent. We all know it. It will be a couple of loanee bang average work horses in the last few days of the window. So bored of this s**t.
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heathen66 added 15:49 - Jan 6 'they haven't got their players, they're looking to sign somebody in' What Mick ??? Other teams won't let you sign their players until they have signed a replacement...whatever do they think they are playing at. That makes no sense does it ??? .....OH!!!!
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RRanger added 17:59 - Jan 6 One thing is clear to me. MM and ME were not p[lanning to sell Murphy but when Newcastle said they wanted him and were prepared to pay well over the odds for him AND he asked to be allowed to go to them MM and ME did the decent thing and let him go. Now we don't know whether MM tried to buy a decent replacement and failed but I'm certain DM going wasn't part of their plans for the season but once a player wants to go ,there isn't much a club can do about it. I also wonder how much we would have got out of him as he has been injured for nearly all the season. All in all it was a fantatic piece of business for the club. £3.4 million for a 34yr old sick note.

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Carberry added 18:38 - Jan 6 All this stuff about it was a very late offer for Murphy and we let him go because we are caring club is wide of the mark. Firstly the Murphy transfer didn't happen an hour before the deadline, they would have known for a couple of days at least. And any self respecting, well run, efficient club would have a constantly updated list of targets for each position. Are we saying we couldn't find a striker for £3m in the last day or two of the window? No, Evans banked the money and McCarthy said I've got Leon Best.

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Warkys_Tash added 19:14 - Jan 6 Gemini mustang, I don't agree with you on the Murphy transfer. Town were wrong to let him go without a replacement. If we had a replacement then fair enough. This is exactly the reason why we can't get players in, clubs won't let players go without having adequate cover or a suitable replacement. It was poor management by whoever made the decision & as a result has likely cost us the play-offs this year - worth a fair bit more than the transfer fee we received!

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