Doncaster striker Billy Sharp will not be amongst the players Town boss Paul Jewell will be targeting during the January transfer window. The Blues manager, who had a £2.3 million offer for Sharp rebuffed in the summer, says the £3 million required to trigger a clause in the 25-year-old frontman’s contract is too rich for Town.

Jewell said: “We obviously went for Billy in the summer and for whatever reason it didn’t happen, but at that price it’s definitely out of our price range.”

The Liverpudlian says he’s not aware quite how much he’ll have to spend as he looks to strengthen his squad in January — owner Marcus Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg tending to look at individual deals on their merits rather than having a set budget — but feels few Championship clubs will pay out that sort of cash for one player: “I don’t know what the pot is but I don’t think there are many Championship clubs who are going to pay £3 million.

“West Ham bought Kevin Nolan for £5 million but other than that I don’t know what the biggest transfer in the Championship was last summer, but certainly £3 million is well out of our league.”

In the summer, Southampton had a £3.25 million offer for Sharp accepted by Rovers but the player turned down the move. The Saints, Wigan, Leicester, Cardiff and Burnley are amongst the clubs said to be targeting the former Sheffield United man in January.

Jewell was unaware that Bristol City had made striker Nicky Maynard available for transfer with the 25-year-old out of contract in the summer and having turned down a new contract: “Maynard’s a good striker at this level, that’s proven. He might be one like Shane Long where a lot of Premier League clubs are interested.

“When you’re up against Premier League teams for a player, it’s very, very difficult for Championship teams to compete because of the money, let’s be honest. And players want to go to the Premiership.”

Meanwhile, former Blues boss Jim Magilton has been linked with the vacant manager’s job at Hartlepool United.

Magilton has reportedly missed out on the same role with Northern Ireland with Michael O’Neill, to whom the ex-Town skipper is currently assistant at Shamrock Rovers, apparently set to be named as Nigel Worthington’s successor.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

h32 added 22:36 - Dec 23 Mattinlondon and meekreech - jas0999 speaks the truth, something that some of you will NEVER accept, or recognise. It's there for all to see, but as the saying goes 'none so blind as those who don't want to see'. The question has to be asked as to who the REAL idiots are ??.
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h32 added 22:54 - Dec 23 Too many Clowns running the Club - and too many 'accepting losers' on the terraces. ITFC 2011 - in a few words. Whilst the mob down the other end of the A140 disappear over the horizon.
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h32 added 23:11 - Dec 23 Don't know this, didn't know that, unaware of this, not sure of that. I'm not at all sure that our Manager even knows his full name.
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scooterblue added 23:49 - Dec 23 If we're not going to pay £3m for Sharp that rules out bidding for Rhodes. He'll cost about the same as Sharp but will probably have slightly lower wages so we can also forget Rhodes. Maynard wouldn't be a bad signing. Priority is to sign defenders first.
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bobble added 01:06 - Dec 24 who is nick maenad ?
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paulnstar added 07:12 - Dec 24 hartlepool on a tuesday night and f a cup 1st rnd and candy floss at southend next year , well done p-ooor-l jewell
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ozzydog added 07:33 - Dec 24 We have Chops and Scotland upfront, why do we need sharp? What we need is a decent right back,a goalkeeper, some width,pace and yoof in midfield and another centre half
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:08 - Dec 24 RHODES ! OH OH OH , HO HO HO , .....YO YO . lets move on .
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