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Birmingham Set to Make Bialkowski Bid Claim as Amos Linked as Replacement - Ipswich Town News

Birmingham City are reportedly ready to offer the Blues £3 million for keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and Town may make a loan move for Bolton’s Ben Amos as his replacement.

Birmingham’s interest in Bialkowski first emerged on Friday and, according to The Sun on Sunday, the Midlanders are willing to make a £3 million bid for the Polish international.

While it would be a hugely unpopular move with fans, Town may well be prepared to take an offer of around that size for the 31-year-old rather than risk losing one of their most highly-prized assets on a free transfer next summer.

Bialkowski is contracted to the Blues until the end of June 2019, the club having exercised the option for a further year on his contract at the end of last season.

But the former Southampton and Notts County man is still to put pen to paper on the new deal ex-boss Mick McCarthy said had been agreed in January.

Speaking in April, Bialkowski said his agent was continuing to talk to owner Marcus Evans regarding the new terms.

The Sun claims Town could look to replace Bialkowski, the club’s Player of the Year for the last three seasons, with Amos, 28.

The 6ft 3in tall former Crewe Alexandra and Manchester United trainee spent last season on loan with Charlton in League One where he was ever-present, making 50 starts.

Macclesfield-born Amos made seven senior appearances for the Red Devils while at Old Trafford but spent much of his time out on loan, featuring for Peterborough, Molde, Oldham, Hull City, Carlisle and Bolton before making his switch to the Trotters permanent in 2015 when he signed a four-year deal.

However, having dropped to second choice at the Macron Stadium, he joined Cardiff on loan for 2016/17 - making 16 starts - and then the Addicks last season.

Despite not having played for Bolton for two years and appearing to be out of their long-term plans, Amos, who was linked with Millwall last month, went on their pre-season training camp in Scotland.

"Ben’s with the first team now and we’ll see what happens, whether a club comes in for him,” manager Phil Parkinson told The Bolton News.

"You can see he had a good year with Charlton. He came back and worked very hard with [goalkeeper-coach] Lee [Butler] and the other keepers so you really don’t know what might happen.

"There have been one or two enquiries but I think his confidence has been helped enormously.”

On Friday, Scottish reports linked with the Blues with Wes Foderingham, who is set to depart Rangers this summer, and it is believed Town have made preliminary contact regarding the 27-year-old, who is also viewed as a possible replacement should Bialkowski move on.

Summer interest in Bialkowski, who is currently away having been given time off following the World Cup, had been widely expected due to his contract situation and with Crystal Palace having targeted him in January.

Elsewhere in Sunday's papers, AFC Bournemouth are reported to be willing to offload former Blues left-back Tyrone Mings to Nottingham Forest after an injury-hit three years with the Cherries.

Mings, 25, has made 11 starts and four sub appearances - four starts and one sub appearance last season - since moving to Dean Court for an initial £8 million in June 2015.

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