Swindon Town head coach Ben Garner has ruled his club out of the running to sign Blues striker Tyreece Simpson, who manager Kieran McKenna yesterday revealed had informed the club he wants to move on in the summer.
Simpson spent the first half of the season on loan in League Two at the County Ground and scored 11 goals before being recalled by the Blues due to his ongoing contract dispute which culminated in his request to move on.
The 19-year-old is out of contract in the summer but with the Blues having an option for a further season which is likely to be exercised in order to achieve a fee rather than compensation.
Garner wasn’t aware that Simpson would be available in the summer but in any case says his team won’t be among the contenders, despite their transfer embargo set to be lifted at the end of the season.
"I haven’t seen that, but we just wouldn’t be in that market,” he told the Swindon Advertiser.
"That’s going to require a transfer fee and that’s not a position we’re in as a football club at the moment.
"I’d just like to see Tyreece kick on in his career now. He came here and did great, and he’s got the potential and ability to do great things in the game whether that’s at Ipswich or whether that’s somewhere else. I’d just like to see him make the most of his talent and potential moving forwards.”
TWTD understands Championship Luton Town showed interest in Simpson in January and could well look at him again in the summer, while Cardiff City, Hull City and Barnsley were all linked during that window.