Town boss Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor spent Monday evening watching West Ham’s U23s beat their West Brom counterparts 2-1 at Dagenham and Redbridge’s Victoria Road with Hammers striker Ashley Fletcher understood to be the reason for their trip.
Fletcher, who TWTD reported in August was on the Blues’ list of potential replacements for Daryl Murphy, created his side’s opening goal in the seventh minute, a Baggies defender turning his cross past his own keeper, then netted the second himself in the 33rd minute.
The 21-year-old Keighley-born frontman played youth football for Bolton Wanderers and then Manchester United and spent the second half of last season on loan at Barnsley, scoring eight goals in 16 starts and 11 sub appearances.
The three-times-capped England U20 international joined West Ham in the summer after turning down a new contract at Old Trafford, signing a four-year deal.
Fletcher, who is 6ft 1in tall, has made one Premier League start - in the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in August - and five top flight sub appearances as well as coming off the bench twice in the Europa League. He is yet to open his account for the Hammers.
Having sold Murphy to Newcastle and having been unable to replace him before the August transfer window closed, another striker is top of Town’s January wish-list.
The Blues are unlikely to be the only Championship club considering making a loan move for Fletcher and Leeds United have previously been linked.