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Hurst: I Don't See Anything Happening With Free Agents - Ipswich Town News

Blues boss Paul Hurst has again played down the chances of signing a free agent striker to add to his options up front.

Town lost both Ellis Harrison and Jon Walters to achilles injuries last month, leading to speculation that the Blues might look at free agents with no other avenue for making new signings available until January.

Ex-Blue Darren Bent, still looking for a club having left Derby at the end of last season following a spell on loan with Burton Albion, recently said he would be interested in a return to Portman Road, but Hurst says he’s currently happy with the options already at his disposal.

Freddie Sears started and impressed as the lone striker at Swansea a fortnight ago with Kayden Jackson on the bench, while Jordan Roberts has played up front in the U23s.

Youngsters Jack Lankester and Ben Folami, who is currently away with the Australian U19s, are other alternatives.

"I was told we were linked with a couple of players and suddenly agents are saying, ‘Are you interested in this player? I’ve read that…’” Hurst said.

"Genuinely nothing’s come to my attention that I believe will benefit us. So it’s as we are, I hope that Freddie can build on his performance [at Swansea] and I have to say this week Kayden has looked very sharp in training.

"They’re the two obvious ones who have got to take the opportunity that’s in front of them.

"Like I say, I’m confident in those two, so I don’t really see anything happening, despite what maybe one or two agents or reports suggest.”

He says any free agents would take a while to get up to speed and usually there's something behind why they've not got a club by this stage of the season.

"Depending on who it is, there’s often a reason why they’re still a free agent. Whether that’s a higher opinion of themselves, whether they’ve let themselves go, whether it’s because they want too much money.

"Someone out there I might be doing a disservice to, but it’s unusual to get to this point and still be really struggling to find a home.

"So I’m happy with what I have got and the quicker we can get Ellis Harrison back to add to that the better. But at the same time we won’t rush that and risk a recurrence of that injury.”

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