Town are reported to have had an offer turned down for Leicester striker George Hirst.
TWTD revealed in May that the 23-year-old was among the frontmen on the Blues’ list of potential summer recruits and earlier in the week reported that the former England U20 international was a firm target.
Now the Portsmouth News is reporting that Town have had an offer rebuffed by the Foxes.
Portsmouth are also interested in Hirst returning on loan following a spell at Fratton Park last season in which he scored 15 times.
TWTD understands the Blues and Pompey are facing Championship opposition for Hirst, who has a year left on his Leicester contract, with one club having made an offer. Rotherham, where he spent a spell on loan in 2020/21, and Blackburn have previously been linked.
Hirst, the son of former Sheffield Wednesday and England frontman David, started his career with the Owls and as a youngster played for England’s U17s, U18s, U19s and U20s, featuring alongside Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes, Tristan Nydam and Nick Hayes.
The 6ft 3in tall striker joined Belgian second division side OH Leuven in June 2018, then a year later moved on to Leicester.
Since signing for the Foxes he has made only two sub appearances, spending time on loan with the Millers, failing to score in four starts and 28 appearances from the bench, before last season’s spell at Pompey.
Meanwhile, Blues left-back target Leif Davis is reported to have impressed Leeds manager Jesse Marsch in pre-season, having played the second half of yesterday’s 4-0 friendly victory over Blackpool, however, could still move on according to The Athletic’s Whites journalist Phil Hay in his podcast.
"From what I’m told, Leif Davis has done really well since coming back,” he said. "Marsch has been quite sold on him. Ipswich are keen on Davis, they’re offering a lot of money in comparison to how much he has played. So he might exit.”
TWTD revealed on Monday that the Blues had made a £1 million move for Davis plus top-ups potentially totalling £500,000.
Davis has made six first-team starts and eight appearances from the bench, while he made 10 starts and five sub appearances for AFC Bournemouth during an injury-hit loan spell last season.