Town appear likely to have to look elsewhere for another striker with Billy Sharp now expected to remain at Leeds.

The Blues made an approach to take the 28-year-old former Doncaster frontman on loan with a view to a permanent switch last week but the clubs were unable to agree a deal.

Sharp, who has regularly appeared as a sub for Leeds in recent games with manager Neil Redfearn wanting to keep hold of him, is now believed likely to stay at Elland Road during this transfer window.

Despite having added Freddie Sears from Colchester on Friday, the Blues are understood to be keen on bringing in another striker with Conor Sammon and Balint Bajner both having moved on in recent days.

Town have been linked with various other strikers, including Leicester’s Chris Wood and West Brom youngster Adil Nabi, while reports of interest in veteran Wigan frontman Marc-Antoine Fortuné are understood to be wide of the mark and manager Mick McCarthy has played down the chances of signing Kevin Doyle from his old club Wolves.

McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor were at the Norwich-Manchester United U21s match earlier in the month with Jesse Lingard, Will Keane, who is close to joining Sheffield Wednesday, and Nick Powell, a Town target in his Crewe days, all in the Red Devils’ line-up.

Elsewhere, Reading have signed midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah, who was also linked with the Blues earlier in the week, on loan until the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

TimmyH added 17:14 - Jan 22 Not too bothered by this, Freddie has only played in 2 games as sub and has made an impact in both so at this moment in time we have to be looking at a creative midfielder. Not sure we can rely on Bishop at his young age to do the business (just yet) which would see us to the promised land!
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oldegold added 17:15 - Jan 22 If Marriott had been handled maybe better rather than being shipped around then possibly we could have had a prime and hungry young striker on our books and in our team instead of apparently looking round at other clubs' goods. Hopefully he still has a future as he is not so different from Sears and home grown to boot.
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theblueginger added 17:20 - Jan 22 Chalobah would have been a better signing.
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jas0999 added 17:35 - Jan 22 Bitterly disappointing. Exactly the type of player we need. Not convinced an Hunt is a striker, better on the wing, so a must that we sign another striker. Also need that J Williams type player.
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EatonBlue added 18:04 - Jan 22 Potentially a very good player but possibly not right for us.
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runaround added 18:28 - Jan 22 Agree with some of the previous posts that we need a tall target man type in case of injury to Murph rather than a shorter striker like Sharp. I'm sure Mick will be well aware of this & will hopefully get his man, even if it's in the loan window next month. Getting the right man is the most important thing, a panic buy or loan just because we've lost a couple of games could be more detrimental

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Steelmonkey added 18:57 - Jan 22 For me this has he Nugent Saga written all over it. Would love him to sign, but really think it's a pacy creative midfielder we need plus a Murphy type player as cover. Rest up lads, and lets get back on song against Wigan. COYB's.
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muhrensweet4thijssen added 19:57 - Jan 22 Sears and hunt have just replaced bajner and sammon. So we have always had 4 strikers but only 2 who can score!!!!! Most teams pushing for promotion bolster attacking options in January as they know all strikers have a baron spell and need a lot of competition and options in attack as goals win promotion!!!! Would welcome another striker remember Johnson, scowcroft, naylor, mind gone blank as to other striking options at the time before Marcus Stewart arrived and helped blast us to the play offs!!! COYB

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Fat_Boy_Tim added 20:01 - Jan 22 In all seriousss we have got 4 decent strikers now (although I worry about how many Noel Hunt is able to score and I think he will end up behind Sears in the pecking order) so how good a striker can we seriously attract in those circumstances? If McG is fit in 10 days time I'm not sure a new striker would even be on the bench. True we could go 433 again but I think we have to be looking at the 532/352 that MM was hinting at the other day, it would move Chambers into his strongest position, swap our out of form wingers (S Hunt and Anderson) with our in form full backs (Mings and Parr) even up the contest in the middle with 3 (Ideally Skuse behind Bishop and Bru) and keep a pair up front which has served us well.

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muhrensweet4thijssen added 20:03 - Jan 22 Ha ha jonas axeldale was fourth striker!!! Niel midgley and Richard Logan also on the books at the time.
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Surco72 added 20:37 - Jan 22 Maybe I am on my own but it is not a goal scoring midfielder we need it is a passer who can control games and take the pace out of a game when we are ahead . Skuse is not the answer and Hyam even less so Derby have Hughes , Cherries have Pugh and even Borough have Leadboots . Teams have worked us out by watching the Saints game slow it down from a hundred mike work hard and we find it hard to break teams down or keep the ball ? Of the players above I would go for Lingarrd pace on wing and goals

2

bournemouthblue added 20:41 - Jan 22 Oh well :p
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dukey44 added 21:24 - Jan 22 Problem being when they scored their goals last night there was at least 5 players around them as they scored. So it was a bad team effort not just defence problems. There again both from chambers area!!
4

bluesince84 added 00:08 - Jan 23 For goodness sake we need an attacking midfielder. Skuse is a great one for breaking up play ,Bishop is only 18, brilliant but still 18, and Hyam absolutely refuses to pass the ball unless its sideways or backwards, although on recent form, i can at least see why. I said it ten games ago and i say it again now, if by any chance we don't get promoted it will be because of our midfield. I think automatic is out, we are so so near, but haven't got that extra.....spark....to do that, but top six absolutely. What will make the difference in those games is to protect the midfield and supply our brilliant strikers. Forgive me if i come across as negative, ya know, last 15 years and all that, i want promotion so bad i can taste it, ......come on mick.midfield, midfield, midfield!!!!!!!!!!

1

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 04:23 - Jan 23 Not surprised. As soon as it began to drag on, I guessed it wouldn't happen. Obviously, the clubs couldn't agree terms. Sears is a very clever signing, but is he enough to see us through?
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BrettenhamBlue added 04:32 - Jan 23 Shame to hear about the end of the Sharp Saga. Anyone know what has happened to McDonell? Is meant to be as good as Bish according to the training ground. Maybe we already have the creative midfielder we need?
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BrettenhamBlue added 04:33 - Jan 23 We need a striker to fill the Murphy position. Someone big and powerful.
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patthegimp added 08:56 - Jan 23 If Murphy injured could Tommy Smith play up front?. Big and can certainly score. Chambers back in middle of defence with Parr out right. Would still like to see McGoldrick play attacking mid field- creative player who hasn't quite got the pace he had. Hunt/Sears up front . Half joke, half serious
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KiwiTractor added 09:57 - Jan 23 To all those posts that want a Jonny Williams type player, I'm sure Mick will bring back Jonny Williams IF he becomes available. Otherwise can anyone suggest a Jonny Williams type player that is actually out there, and available to play Championship football?
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Razor added 10:59 - Jan 23 I think Noel Hunt has got lucky and may not be answer if we want to go up----another striker deffo needed. Parr must come in and how about trying Mings in midfield----his strong powerful surging runs will upset defences and create chances------we may need to consider this if Mr Owner is not going to get his cheque book type thing out.
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dawoolah added 13:37 - Jan 23 A couple of really good suggestions in the comments above. For an added bit of creativity in midfield play McGoldrick behind a front two of Murphy / Sears?
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peewee added 14:50 - Jan 23 Lol Paul Cooper your not the bitter budgie from the eadt? You nicked his one liner
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