Town boss Roy Keane has revealed that the Blues are weighing up whether to accept an offer from Brentford for Dutch defender Pim Balkestein. The Bees want their former loanee on loan with a view to a permanent deal.

Keane said: “We’ve just had an offer for Pim about 10 minutes ago and we’ll give you more information on that in the next couple of days.

“It’s just come in, I haven’t even spoken to Pim about it, so we’ll see what happens. Obviously with Tommy Smith coming back we’re OK in terms of numbers, but we’ll see in the next 24 or 48 hours."

Balkestein played eight games for the Bees while on loan at Griffin Park between November and December, prior to Smith's spell with the League One club.

The Blues boss says that Smith, who was on loan with the Bees recently, won’t be going back out on loan.

Keane says Tuesday’s defeat and poor performance has again got him thinking about adding more loanees to his squad: ”Possibly one, maybe.”

Town have no new injuries ahead of Saturday’s game against Barnsley other than Alan Quinn, who picked up a groin injury in yesterday’s reserve game.

Photo: Action Images

asajennings added 12:55 - Mar 18 Got to meet Pim last summer and he's a very nice guy but I don't think he is ever going to push on and develop into a top Championship player which is the minimum we need and as such I feel it's best if we let him go if the deal is right for the club.
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muhrensleftfoot added 13:11 - Mar 18 Shouldn't he tell Pim first, before telling the media?
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Tractorog added 13:16 - Mar 18 How do you know he did not tell Pim first?
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Tractorog added 13:17 - Mar 18 Oh sorry, it is in the story... I'll get my coat
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naa added 13:25 - Mar 18 Hmm, strikes me as remarkably unprofessional (yet again). He really is incapable of keeping his mouth shut sometimes. Makes good press, but does it make a good manager?
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yorkshire added 13:37 - Mar 18 Why is it unprofessional ? I know that you aren't a big fan of Keane anyway so I imagine there is little the man can do right in your eyes but.. I don't understand why you think it is so bad. We've had an offer, Keane is thinking about it - and he has told us this - if Pim doesn't want to go - a la Pablo at the start of the season then he won't. Pim doesn't seem to have too many fans within the Ipswich Town support and maybe Keane is actually being quite clever by telling the press that he has had the offer as it clearly lets Pim know that he is not in Roys plans and that maybe it is best that he moves on. I seem to get the impression from some people on here, you included naa, that whatever Keane does will not be acceptable.

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superblueflude added 13:38 - Mar 18 OMG can't believe your moaning about him telling Pim, how do we know the press didn't get told about this from Brentford called the club straight away before Keane had a chance, read his words, Also just a quick note someone mentioned that if Wrights was injured on tuesday then Keane should come out and tell everyone before the game - why should he? to let the other manager know who'll be playing instead?! let them tactially change their players to match ours? get a grip

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jas0999 added 13:45 - Mar 18 Amazing - is there anything some people won't moan about? Granted - it is fair to moan after a poor performance, but as I posted yesterday some people refuse to comment after a win. Choosing to just moan when we lose. Pathetic.
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naa added 13:46 - Mar 18 yorkshire: unfair. I'm not anti Keane, I merely assess him based on our performances and decisions - against my own opinion. Anyway, I can't believe you can justify him telling the press that he's had an offer for Pim but before he's told the player himself. Put it this way, if an offer comes in for a player that the club are considering who needs to know? Is it a) the press or b) the player. Durrrrrr.

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naa added 13:49 - Mar 18 Super: sorry, but if the press get hold of it there's a phrase commonly in use called 'no comment'. The press report would be that the club refused to comment on the story, as often happens regarding transfers etc.
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superblueflude added 13:55 - Mar 18 And whats the point there Naa - after all Pim isn't a 1st teamer so its not that important, and it gives the players a kick they need to know that if offers come in then we are open!. Hopefully an offer for walters is on the cards
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naa added 13:56 - Mar 18 Oh come on. You can still give the player a kick by treating him like a human being and talking to his face. I really can't believe that anyone thinks this is good man management.
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superblueflude added 13:58 - Mar 18 Actually just thought - he's word sdoesnt actually say i havent told Pim yet - actually how do we know that pim wasn't already aware through clegg?! all Keane says is I havent spoken to him about it yet - also keane could have told Pim but hasn't spoken to him in full about it - thought of that naa before moaning again at keane
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ITFC1985 added 13:59 - Mar 18 something else for the Keane haters to sharpen their knives about
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PimsNumber1 added 14:01 - Mar 18 I wouldnt mind walters going provided we get 1 mill + for him. And dont bother with rosenior, just offer wright a new contract ( his ends at the end of this season )
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blu_dru added 14:04 - Mar 18 Two words: so what?
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naa added 14:11 - Mar 18 super: so I have to read between the lines to interpret what Keane might be saying now? Crikey. OK whatever, I' ve made my point. If he's spoken to him, fair enough, but it doesn't read that way. And no this isn't a big deal, it's just not good man management (if he hasn't spoken to him yet, which he might if I choose to read words that aren't there and ignore ones that are).

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nobrain added 14:21 - Mar 18 The chances are that they approached Pim or his agent (off the record) before contacting the club anyway. Please don't tell me that doesn't ever happen....
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ITFC1985 added 14:25 - Mar 18 generally ever single transfer is done like this, a club approaches another club with an offer for a player or the ground work for an offer like this one here (Brentford have contacted us, offering a deal for a player, they have stated what the deal consists of thats it) it doesnt state anywhere that the club (not Keane) has accepted this deal, clubs dont tell their players straight away and Keane hasnt done anything wrong in saying what offers have come in. Imagine if Keane hadnt of mentioned which player the offer was for the majority of people on here would be going mad because he didnt name the player.

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MVBlue added 14:27 - Mar 18 Laters Pim. Will always remember your performances against Newcastle and West Brom early this season.
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blu_dru added 14:42 - Mar 18 Apparantly Rio found out he was england captain by seeing it on sky sports news, sack capello?
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naa added 14:48 - Mar 18 I never said sack him, I just said it was poor man-management. I don't care who else does it, it's poor every time. Souness found out he was sacked on teletext once. I'm not condoning that either. I'm not picking on Keane, I just think this is poor.
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WickedBlue added 14:53 - Mar 18 naa get grip mate, just because RK hasn't spoken to Pim doesn't mean Clegg hasn't and it is Clegg who normally handles the negotiations. Your spouting anti RK without knowing all the facts, thereby making yourself look like a div.
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naa added 14:56 - Mar 18 Wicked: fair enough, it's possible that Pim has been spoken to about it all and I have chosen to interpret the story in the way I did, given the information to hand (i.e. no mention of anyone talking to him about it). But you're right that it is entirely possible. No need to get personal though, that's out of order.
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nobrain added 14:59 - Mar 18 Like so many of these stories, this one is open to interpretation - as it only gives a part of the picture.
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