Blues boss Paul Hurst says Town are close to agreeing a new deal with keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, who has been targeted by Birmingham City, and says any interested clubs will have to spend a lot of money if they want striker Martyn Waghorn. TWTD previously revealed that Derby and Middlesbrough are among a number of sides eyeing the 28-year-old with Nottingham Forest also linked.
Birmingham are understood to have had offers of £2.75 million and more recently £3 million for Bialkowski.
Questioned on the reported bids, Hurst said: "I think there was interest there but we want him to stay and that’s been clear from the start, the message.
"I’m hopeful that he’ll end up staying and I think we’re getting closer to that occurring, hopefully that is the case.”
He confirmed that talks regarding new terms - which were initially said to have been agreed in January - are ongoing: "We’re trying to sort a new deal out.”
We understand the deal - believed to be a contract to 2021 with an option for a further season - is not yet done but is very close to being finalised.
Meanwhile, Hurst confirmed that the 31-year-old Polish international will be back with the club this week - when he could well put pen to paper on his contract - following his post-World Cup break but with Jonas Knudsen returning a week later."
Hurst says no bids have been received for Waghorn: "No, but there’s interest there. It’s only natural when you get a player who had the season that he had. The stats alone, irrespective of how he plays, would always generate interest. But I do think with the way he plays as well naturally it would be there.
"But again he’s another one I want at the football club. I’m not going to say right now he’s not going anywhere or won’t, but it will take a helluva a lot of money and I don’t know whether anyone’s prepared to do that.”
The Blues are believed to want in excess of £7 million for Waghorn, who was signed from Rangers for £200,000 last August.
Asked about fellow striker Joe Garner, who is also believed to have been the subject of interest this summer with Bolton having been linked, he added: "There’s probably interest in all the players, or a lot of them.
"But if they’ve been today, there might not be. Maybe a couple of those performances will help that interest go away.”