Town are set to offer Arsenal £1 million for striker or wideman Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, according to a tabloid report. The 20-year-old has previously played in the Championship with Blackpool, Doncaster and Cardiff.
Forest Gate-born Emmanuel-Thomas joined the Arsenal academy at the age of seven, progressing through the ranks to skipper the U18s to the 2009 FA Youth Cup at the age of 16 and swiftly breaking into the reserves.
The 6ft 3in tall England U17 and U19 international, who played under former Town coach Chris Kiwomya as a Gunners youngster, has made only one senior Arsenal start in an FA Cup tie, plus a further single Premier League sub appearance and three more cup games from the bench.
After spells on loan largely playing in wide midfield roles at Blackpool, Doncaster and last season with Cardiff, Arsene Wenger is reported to have decided to allow Emmanuel-Thomas to leave on a permanent basis.
Town boss Paul Jewell is understood to be on the look-out for a big frontman to augment his existing strike force, while Emmanuel-Thomas’s ability to play wide may also prove an attraction with the Blues manager also keen to add to his midfield ranks.
Elsewhere, with Hull City still to officially comment on former Blues loanee Jimmy Bullard's reported two-week suspension, QPR are claimed to have moved on to other targets having been unable to agree loan terms with the Tigers.
Earlier in the summer, Blues boss Jewell ruled Town out of the running saying that the financial side of bringing the 32-year-old back to Suffolk was beyond the club's means.