Town’s attempt to sign Preston striker Jordan Hugill looks to be over with the Lilywhites unwilling to sell the 24-year-old, according to Blues boss Mick McCarthy, who still continues to search for a new frontman ahead of Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

Asked whether he had given up on signing Hugill, who scored Preston’s last-gasp equaliser against the Blues at Deepdale on Saturday, Town having had a second bid of £2 million for the former Port Vale man rebuffed a few days earlier, McCarthy said: “I think they gave up on us, they’re not selling him.”

Could there be further additions to his squad before the window closes? “Possibly, we’re still trying but as I said right at the very start of it, it’s going to be difficult and that’s just how it’s proven to be.”

Has he had any feedback on the offers he made last week? “The only feedback we’ve had is a no.”

A replacement for Daryl Murphy, who was sold to Newcastle at the end of the August window for £3 million was top of the January wish-list, so would McCarthy be frustrated if one wasn’t signed before tomorrow’s deadline?

“I kind of face reality, me. I’m fairly pragmatic,” the Blues manager added. “We’ve tried our best. I don’t get into that mode, I get into thinking that whatever we’ve got we’ll get the best out of them and make do with what we’ve got rather than thinking [it would be frustrating].

“I’m not like that. I just think it’s done, get on with it, we’ll crack on and work with what we’ve got, as I’ve always done. And done pretty successfully, to be honest.”

He says he’s continue to work on making that addition in the time remaining: “But I’ll have to stop scouting at a quarter to eight tomorrow night.”

McCarthy says he knows nothing of reported loan interest from Coventry for midfielder Jonathan Douglas - “It’s nothing I’ve heard anything about but if Russell Slade rings me up, I’ll speak to him” - and says he's not aware of anyone chasing any of his players.

“No idea, I haven’t got a clue,” he said. “If there is nobody’s telling me. Everybody and sundry is promoting Tom Lawrence to go here, there and everywhere and we all know that he’s signed and it has to be agreed by us, Leicester and him and that’s not going to happen."

McCarthy says he’d be up for sending some of his younger players out on loan with midfielder Kundai Benyu set to extend his stay with Vanarama National League Aldrershot.

“Yes, I might send some of them on loan,” he continued. “It’s certainly benefiting Kundai.

“I was speaking to [Shots manager] Gary Waddock today and they’re going keep him, we’ve got a 24-hour recall on him and hopefully towards the end of the season if we’re neither going up nor down then we can blood some of the young ‘uns and Kundai will be better off having had two, three, maybe four months playing in the National League.

“They keep taking him month to month and when I spoke to Gary Waddock today I said we’ll just keep it the same.

“It wouldn’t make any difference if we said to the end of the season because we’ve still got a 24-hour recall. They just keep turning it over every month. I’m fine whichever way they want it.”

Regarding striker Leon Best, who he stated last week wouldn’t play for the club again, McCarthy says he’s unlikely to leave during January as he has to undergo minor surgery.

“No, I doubt it, he’s got to have a little op on a groin operation he had before he came here,” the Town boss added. “That’s just got to be tidied up, that won’t be a long thing. But very unlikely.”

Photo: Action Images

CBMTOBWMMBG added 15:31 - Jan 30 I don't get the "No Loans" attitude. Loans are a key part of getting talent these days - it is how Premiership clubs offer their future talent - Fraser, Lawrence have both been shining lights in a dire last 18 months
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LondonBlue73 added 15:34 - Jan 30 Lets be fair to all concerned here. I am not a fan of MM or the way our club is being run at the moment. I do not think we have the right manager for the type of football most of us want to see and I hope that gets sorted out in the correct manner at the end of the season. In the meantime lets support our team and be real, MM has to say he is happy with what he has, that is sensible man-management. His hands are clearly tied with transfers and it looks like we have actually really tried this time round but getting people in this window for sensible money is near on impossible. I hope the next few games brings some passion on the pitch, some points to get us safe and then try the youngsters out and see what they have.

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backwiththeboysagain added 15:35 - Jan 30 And here begins the BS, first with Mick and then Milne after we've failed to sign anyone of any significance. Not to worry as they will soon reassure us there are funds available when ST renewals are close
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Surco72 added 15:38 - Jan 30 Should have made a bid for Armstrong as part of the Murphy deal or got him on a season loan ... oh but we already had Best and the best squad MM has had at Ipswich
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CBMTOBWMMBG added 15:39 - Jan 30 All about giving youngsters experience going forward. Much better than wasting ££ on buying an overpriced striker
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braveblue added 15:39 - Jan 30 Offer the right amount, clown. Or try to think of something sensible to say. Have you no targets at all that could be purchased for £2m. Another MM did my job sir to ME.
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geminimustang added 15:40 - Jan 30 Everyone is having a pop at MM but look above to Newcastle who are also struggling to get anybody.Newcastle are a far more attractive opportunity,have money to burn and you may even get a Championship winners Medal to boot but it's tough.Give the Guy some slack and see what happens not forgetting 5 signings already.Keep the faith remembering the glass is always half full!

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Burnzee1991 added 15:52 - Jan 30 I actually think MM has done quite well in this transfer window held on to every decent bit of talent signed a promising young winger and very experienced CB and Diagouraga who looked very capable on Saturday :-) I think Sears looks decent in recent games and seems to be getting his mojo back and Pitman is certainly capable up front. I personally believe the second half of our season will be very different to the first :-)

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blackcat added 16:01 - Jan 30 Bet you Wednesday morning he IS a Town player!
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H1960 added 16:06 - Jan 30 Specialist subject...The bleeding obvious!!
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NSL added 16:17 - Jan 30 Ultimately there would have been discussions internally at Preston with Hugill. No one wants an unhappy player. "Do you want to go to Ipswich?" Hugill: "not particularly to be honest". Oh well we will hold out for 4m then
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deano85 added 16:59 - Jan 30 "I think they gave up on us" Says it all really, micks probably not to blame...
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Warkys_Tash added 17:04 - Jan 30 The Hugill transfer saga just st highlights what a bad piece of business the Murphy transfer was. No other club lets their best striker go before they have a replacement. Apart from Ipswich. We all knew this month would be a frustrating & disappoint one for Town fans. I will be glad when the transfer window & this season is over! Oh well let's crack on now & get behind the boys against big spending Derby, with their arrogant bunch of fans who believe they have a given right to be above us in the league. Let's put a dent in their play-off hopes.

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karls_dad added 17:04 - Jan 30 MM stated on here that he was going to get his transfer business done ASAP as soon as the window opens! FACT!! Yet here we are just hours before it closes and all we have done is bring in some unknown faces and a loan! This is typical Town, wanting a top player for a fiver!! Time wasted on Hugill, surely he cannot be the only guy that knows how to score a goal? I check this hourly and each time i,m disappointed!!

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RYITFC added 17:07 - Jan 30 Was it not obvious that Hugill would not be for sale at £2Mil, I assumed as we kept bidding for him the club knew something we didn't & a deal could be done. If Hugill was our number 1 target we should have found out a the start of Jan whether they were likely to sell for our valuation, if not move onto the next target and so on. It just seems a complete mess, if we don't end up signing players for fees, it just gives Mick the same excuse when we're not performing that he hasn't had any money. Then ME won't sack him because he hasn't had no money to spend. 5 months after we sold Murph & still no nearer to landing a replacement with 1 day of the transfer window left.

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kingy4978 added 17:11 - Jan 30 I've heard from a source in the midlands that town have been making enquiries with Steve Bruce about a Liam move for Ross McCormack. This depends on Rhodes going to villa though.
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kingy4978 added 17:11 - Jan 30 *loan
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blueboy1981 added 17:20 - Jan 30 Surprise, Surprise !! .......... we would have wanted him for a Peanut anyway, so never was on. Just another pacification exercise - and they know it works on a percentage.
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runningout added 17:21 - Jan 30 Show a bit of ambition Mr Evans, and give the club the little boost it requires..
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TimmyH added 17:23 - Jan 30 We knew Preston didn't want to sell any of their players Mick so what's knew?...I don't want a short term loan in (probably from the Premiership) but it looks like we might not have an alternative, the way Mick is talking it sounds like we're having to make do with what we now have, but wouldn't it be nice to see Ipswich finally do some business on the final day of the transfer window for once, but wouldn't overly bother me as the season looks to be gone and might be wise and save the cash for a manager with new ideas and playing style for the summer (fingers crossed) as Lightningboy mentioned. Like the way Mick says 'I kind of face reality, me. I'm fairly pragmatic' - not sure you are after some of your post match interviews.

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jas0999 added 17:24 - Jan 30 Most of us faced reality in August - Evans had no intention of spending out. Anyone can offer for Unavailable players. It is not the exception but the norm. Evans can't or won't do the deals unless free or very very small fees. I deem it complete failure if a permanent addition for Murphy isn't signed by the close of the window.
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Carberry added 17:32 - Jan 30 So McCarthy has failed. But he just can't stop bigging himself up. It was inevitable wasn't it, the boy from non league is the striker we have got to replace Murphy. Let's hope he's a world beater but those are very long odds. Unless some quality comes in by tomorrow we will be looking down the barrel. Shambles.
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blueblood_soldier added 17:33 - Jan 30 I don't want bogle as don't think he's better than what we have. I personally would like to see sears playing off moore for next couple of games...don't panic buy save the money for the summer... the only linked player that I wouldn't mind a last gasp bid for would be matty Taylor. ..
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blueboy1981 added 17:37 - Jan 30 This whole thing sucks - just like most of everything else that currently emanates from the Club. Never was on from the onset.
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Brownie added 17:42 - Jan 30 I never thought we'd spend this window as we never do.. Once Mick hinted he would review his position in the summer there was not chance of us spending. Why spend money now and then change the manager & have to potentially do so again. As per a blog I did back in the autumn this club needs to invest in players AND develop youth.We also need a positive thinking manager. Until we get that nothing will change & the club will expect us to continue to support & be content to drift along. Well I'm not prepared to do that. I will not boo the players & won't protest by walking out at appointed times. I'll protest by not going to see the club I love until things change and they try to progress. I'm gutted and I am disappointed to feel this way but I am not prepared to spend any more money on a club that has taken me for granted for too long.

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