Town boss Paul Jewell has revealed that the Blues are waiting to hear back regarding bids for what would be the club’s sixth and seventh signings of the summer. The Town manager says he has targeted a striker and a wide midfielder with another central defender also on his wish list.
Jewell said: "We have a bid in for a striker and a wide player and we will see what develops from there. We're also after another centre-half to provide competition to Damien, Tommy Smith and Ãvar. There are other areas we are looking at as well.
"It will be a long, hard season ahead and we are trying to put together a squad that will be competitive in the Championship. We're obviously delighted with the players we have brought in but we've got a way to go yet.
"Deals take time and we will use right up to the end of the transfer window if need be to get the players in that we feel can take this club forward."
A big frontman to augment recent signings Michael Chopra and Nathan Ellington and existing strikers Tamás Priskin and Jason Scotland — if they don’t move on before the start of the season — would appear to be the most likely target.
The Blues have been linked with Sheffield United’s Ched Evans on a number of occasions, while QPR’s Rob Hulse, who played for Jewell at Derby, could be in the Blues boss’s thoughts. Jason Roberts, who partnered Ellington in Jewell’s Wigan side, appears committed to staying at Blackburn, despite Town interest earlier in the summer.
The Blues boss previously played down suggestions that he might make another move for Billy Sharp, the subject of a £2.3 million offer earlier in the summer.
As for the wide player, the Town manager has previously said that he hasn't given up on adding Doncaster's James Coppinger to his squad, despite having an initial £300,000 offer turned down earlier in the summer.
There have been contradictory reports in the South Yorkshire press as to whether a second £400,000 bid was also rebuffed by Rovers, but it appears likely that the Blues have continued their pursuit of the 30-year-old, who played alongside Town coach Sean McCarthy at Exeter earlier in his career.
Preston's Irish international left winger Keith Treacy was also strongly linked with Town earlier in the summer with the relegated Lilywhites unlikely to be able to keep hold of the 22-year-old.
At the back, the Blues missed out on Preston’s Sean St Ledger, who has joined Leicester, and AFC Bournemouth’s Jason Pearce, who moved on to Portsmouth, and few other potential central defensive signings have been mooted in recent weeks.
Town would also appear to need cover at right-back and still look short on numbers in central midfield despite the acquisition of Lee Bowyer.