Boss Roy Keane says striker Tamás Priskin will not be leaving the club before the transfer window closes on Monday. QPR have been linked with the 23-year-old and the Town manager says a number of clubs have contacted him regarding the Hungarian international's availability.
But Keane has confirmed that he has no intention of letting the summer signing from Watford leave: "Tamás is going nowhere. He’s staying at the football club. I think the boy deserves a chance, I think the boy’s a talented player.
"We’re obviously hoping for a bit more from him but, like I said when we signed him, some players take longer than others to settle in.”
The Blues boss says the one-time loanee with today’s opponents Preston needs to be given time by everyone connected with the club: "I think our fans have been very, very patient with the team so far and maybe we all need to be a little bit more patient with Tamás. I think he’s a talented boy and it’s up to the coaches and myself to get a bit more out of him.
"He’s missed out on a few squads, it’s not as if he’s had many minutes on the pitch. I know he came on not long ago and the fans were a bit [negative], although our fans have been very good, but sometimes you have to be patient with certain players and I think we all have to be like that with Tamás.”
Keane says the striker, who scored 14 goals for the Hornets last season, will get more of a chance to prove himself in the weeks to come: "People are on about him being a goalscorer. Our top goalscorer has six goals and Tamás has got two and he’s probably played the least minutes of all the strikers.
"I think the boy deserves more of an opportunity and he’s going to get that over the next few months with the games we have and with Jon Walters being injured, and we also have to make a decision with Stern.”
Although Priskin has missed one or two chances during his time with the Blues, including one late on against West Brom on Tuesday, Keane is pleased that he’s getting himself in the right areas to get those opportunities: "He’s had chances, some strikers never get a chance. Some strikers spend half the time standing on the wing. You want strikers in the box.
"I think Tamás needs a run of games. It’s hard when you come on as sub, some lads have it, some lads don’t.
"His attitude has never been a problem, he’s a decent kid, a quiet lad. Tamás will get the chance and he’ll score goals for us, but we all have to be a bit more patient. He’s a young lad, he’s still learning his trade.
"We’ve had plenty of enquiries for him but I made the decision that he’s going to stay with us. Tamás is staying, Tamás is going to be part of our squad, definitely.”
Priskin has started nine games and made nine sub appearances since joining the Blues for £1.7 million in the summer, scoring two goals.