Town are reported to have had a €22 million (£18.6 million) offer for Greek international striker Fotis Ioannidis rebuffed by his club Panathinaikos.
According to Sportime and other Greek sources, the Blues made the approach for the 24-year-old last week but the bid was turned down with Panathinaikos keen to keep hold of their player and in talks regarding a new deal.
However, it’s anticipated that Town could come back with an increased offer nearer to the €25-€30 million region.
Ioannidis himself is said to be happy in Greece but would be interested in a move to the Premier League.
Lisbon-based Sporting CP has been viewed as Ioannidis’s most likely destination this summer were he to move on and it’s reported in the Portuguese press that the Blues’ offer was turned down as it included too many bonus clauses.
Ioannidis was a youth player with Olympiacos Chalkida and Levadiakos before breaking into senior football with the latter late in 2018.
In August 2020, he joined Panathinaikos on a four-year deal. Goals were hard to come by in his first three seasons with the Athens-based side, netting four, four and seven in the league in those campaigns.
Nevertheless, his form was good enough to see him win the first of his 11 full caps - two goals - in 2022, having already played at U18, U19 and U21 levels.
Last season, however, Ioannidis, whose father Vasilios also played professionally in Greece, netted 23 times and picked up nine assists in all competitions, 15 in the league, seven in Europe, Panathinaikos having narrowly missed out on the group stage of the Champions League before entering the Europa League.
That led to interest from clubs abroad including Sporting and Girona in Spain, while Ioannidis is reported to have turned down interest from French side Lille.
If Town were to land Ioannidis, the striker’s fee would be the biggest in the club’s history, with the £4.8 million paid to Sampdoria for keeper Matteo Sereni in the summer of 2001 still the club record. Ioannidis would also be the first player signed from an overseas club since the takeover.
Meanwhile, the Blues continue to be linked with Tottenham centre-half Joe Rodon, who spent last season on loan with Leeds United.
The Whites are keen to sign the Wales international permanently, but Football.London reports that Town are among the other suitors along with fellow promoted sides Leicester and Southampton.
Swansea-born Rodon came through the ranks at his hometown club, spending time on loan at Cheltenham while with the Swans.
The ball-playing centre-half’s form with the Welsh club in the Championship led to Spurs signing him for £11 million in October 2020 on a five-year deal which is up next summer.
Since then, he has made 14 starts and 10 sub appearances for Tottenham and has spent spells on loan at Rennes and then last season Leeds, where he made 49 starts and one sub appearance as the Whites missed out on promotion in the play-offs.
Elsewhere, former Town loanee Jeremy Sarmiento says he's yet to have discussions regarding his future with parent club Brighton.
"I have pre-season to do, where I'll go back with Brighton. Then we'll see what happens,” the 22-year-old said having scored on his birthday for Ecuador in their 2-1 victory over Honduras yesterday, his first international goal.
When Sarmiento joined the Blues on loan in January, it was understood that the deal included the potential for the forward to return to Portman Road this summer.
Meanwhile, former Town loanee Callum Connolly joined League Two champions Stockport County over the weekend after leaving Blackpool.
The 26-year-old was with the Blues in 2017/18, making 30 starts and five sub appearances, scoring four times.