Birmingham City are reported to be ready to make an improved bid for Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
As reported earlier in the week, Town turned down a £2.75 million offer from Garry Monk’s club for the 31-year-old.
Now, according to HITC Sport, they are set to offer the Blues £3 million for the Polish international.
Birmingham’s situation is complicated by reports that they are currently subject to a transfer embargo, which both the club and the EFL are refusing to comment upon. The two parties are believed to be in talks aimed at resolving the issue.
Reports elsewhere are linking Birmingham with a shock move for Manchester City’s Joe Hart. The odds of the England goalkeeper returning to the club where he was on loan early in his career are as low as 2-1 with one bookie.
Birmingham already have David Stockdale and Tomasz Kuszczak on their books but both have been told they can move on this summer.
Town are keen to keep hold of Bialkowski but the former Southampton and Notts County man has only a year left on his contract, the Blues having taken up an option to keep him for a further season at the end of the last campaign.
But Bialkowski is still to put pen to paper on the new deal ex-boss Mick McCarthy said had been agreed in January.
Speaking in April, the keeper said his agent was continuing to talk to owner Marcus Evans regarding the new terms.
We understand Evans wants Bialkowski, who is currently away from the club following the World Cup, tied down to a new deal rather than risk losing him for what would be a cut-price fee this summer or in January, or for nothing this time next year when he would be a free agent. Talks are expected to resume shortly.
Summer interest in Bialkowski, Town’s Player of the Year for the last three seasons, had been widely expected due to his contract situation and with Crystal Palace - whose interest we understand has cooled more recently - having targeted him in January.
Meanwhile, a crowd of 5,400 watched England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia in the FanZone at Portman Road.