Town are being linked with a move for Birmingham City striker Clayton Donaldson.

According to The Sun, the Blues are set to offer £1.2 million for the 31-year-old frontman. Later reports elsewhere claim the Blues have already made an offer ultimately worth up to £2 million.

Donaldson, who is contracted to Birmingham for another year, was recently targeted by Reading, who had a number of offers turned down, the last reported to total more than £1 million after add-ons.

Bradford-born Donaldson played youth football with his hometown club before moving on to Hull City. While with the Tigers he spent time on loan with Harrogate (twice), Scarborough and Halifax.

Having made only five sub appearances for Hull the 6ft 1in tall striker moved on to York City in 2005 before spells with Hibernian, Crewe and Brentford prior to joining Birmingham in the summer of 2014.

Last season Donaldson scored 16 goals in 46 starts and two sub appearances for the St Andrew’s club.

Town making a move for another senior striker would appear unlikely as things stand with four currently on the books.

However, with both Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick the subject of interest from elsewhere, Donaldson may well be viewed as a potential replacement if one of them were to move on.

Speaking after the Reading interest, Birmingham manager Gary Rowett admitted that everyone is for sale at the right price but that he wants to keep hold of Donaldson.

“Every player has a price tag,” he said. “I think we are all aware of that. Clayton is 31 - but if we were to lose one of our better players then we would have to replace him and there’s always a value to that.

“If you look at the Clayton situation, regardless of any interest shown, we have not solicited any bids, we have not enticed any bids. He is a player we don’t want to sell.

“It’s just speculation, I fully expect and want Clayton to be our player next year, he is an integral part of what we are doing.”

Photo: Action Images

ArnieM added 10:45 - Jul 10 We have no need fir Sharp now. He's not a direct replacement for Murphy type of player anyway. I'd say Sears and Pitman are better than Sharp now. Sharp has done nothing since he left Doncaster.
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Michael11 added 10:46 - Jul 10 No chance we'll pay over £1m for a 31 year old. However, it's just nice seeing us linked with a player for a decent price tag! We won't sign another striker unless Murph or McGoldrick leave. Wingers with an eye for goal and a right back should still be priority.
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TheGov added 10:58 - Jul 10 Not really sure why a lot of you are saying 1.2 million for a 31 year old is too much when teams are reportedly offering 4.5 to 5 million for Murphy at 32 years old??? Agreed I would rather we buy younger players but we are rarely reported to be interested in permanently signing younger players. We tend to go for getting near hanging up boots age players or taking youngsters from other clubs and giving them play time ahead of our own youngsters what kind of message is that sending out to them.

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GoldieBlue added 11:14 - Jul 10 This won't happen. However this is the kind of replacement we would get it Murphy or Mcgoldrick where to leave, an over the hills journeyman
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BrettenhamBlue added 11:19 - Jul 10 Agree with ArnieM Sharp would not fit into our style of play.Very different player to what we actually need.
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BackTheBlues added 11:31 - Jul 10 Rubbish story - I know its pre-season and there's not a lot else to talk about but can we stop with entertaining utter tosh! Murphy isn't going anywhere, unless we get the same we got for Mings - which isn't going to happen! This guy is poor, not what we need for top or higher ambitions! He looked good in a poor team - when 16 in 46 for the first time - not great! Suggestion - if people stop advertising and rumouring about strikers - maybe the stuff around ours may disappear!

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topguy added 11:44 - Jul 10 If murphy went I would rather use sears and didsy with pitman as cover and pick up a young player from league one or 2 for less with more to offer with value and happy to wait his chance.
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Surco72 added 11:48 - Jul 10 Brentford have signed Josh McEachran from Chelsea now that is a good signing , playmaker with ability for creating and cutting passes the type of player our team is crying out for
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jas0999 added 12:07 - Jul 10 We don't need a striker unless one or both of Murphy/McGoldrick leave. Then we would need to replace both. We need four strikers. Also, if we cash in on players yet again, we would need to spend some of the many millions received on a fee. So, this may not be an unrealistic rumour.
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blueherts added 12:10 - Jul 10 would prefer Bradshaw or Garner than Donaldson
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:11 - Jul 10 Agree with you Surco72. Would have been an ideal signing and makes his debut for Brentford against us...
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essexboy added 12:18 - Jul 10 No smoke without fire.! 😡😡
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topguy added 12:41 - Jul 10 id rather a more bankable target with a few years in him yet
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Fatboy added 12:42 - Jul 10 Is there a way to filter out any stories containing the words, "According to the Sun"? A common theme with MM's signings is that invariably there is no speculation about them until the deal is announced, so until I hear that someone is at PR with pen in hand I won't take too much interest.
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bluefeast added 12:48 - Jul 10 green un reporting a 2 million bid has been lodged. This must mean goodbye either Murpy or McG
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bluefeast added 12:51 - Jul 10 Maybe we are going to play a system 4-6 , scap midfield and play the hoof to 6 strikers. How on earth we look like spending that kind of money on a 31 year old i don't know ,who is he replacing ,murph or McG
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dude added 12:58 - Jul 10 Do we even have competition for RB (not counting other positions who 'can' play there?)
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Lightningboy added 12:58 - Jul 10 Didn't realise he was 31. There is no way I would sell Murphs and replace him with this guy...we need to stop faffing around and just give Murphy an improved deal.
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blues1 added 13:03 - Jul 10 andyipswich1990. uve never heard of him? where have you been for the past 10 years or so? and his scoring record is far superior to murphys. and hopper. what mm has said about murphy is no different from what rowell has said. just slightly different wording. slowtractorboy. I agree with ur obsevations on Donaldson. but exactly the same can be said about murphy. some days he can be totally anonymous too. think the same can prob be said about many players, particularly at this level tbh.

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Ezy_Ryder added 13:04 - Jul 10 East Anglian reporting that we've made a £2m bid for Donaldson...
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truckerblue added 13:09 - Jul 10 I reckon Didz is off then. Would rather it was him instead of Murphy tbh as I don't think his heart has been in it totally since we rejected his move to Leicester. Murphy will keep scoring as long as he's played as a main striker like last season. Age has nothing to do with it.
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blues1 added 13:11 - Jul 10 gods sake guys, he s 31, not 51. murphys 32 but no1s criticising that fact. and we could get £4-5m for him, and hes only ever had 1 good season. Donaldson is a regular scorer at this level and while im not saying hes some1 id have prayed for us to sign, would be a decent signing for that price. personally mind you, I would rather, if murphy was to go, that we tried to sign carlton cole even if just for 1 season. think hed do a job for us at this level. if we could afford his wages that is of course

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TimmyH added 13:44 - Jul 10 This is ridiculous!...if we are looking at him* it's pretty obvious that Murphy/McG or both of them are on their way. I don't like the idea of too many changes up front and as said looking at a younger player would be a better bet. Changes out wide needed to be made but whole scale changes towards the attacking third would be disappointing. * From The Sun - so could be far from the truth.

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WorcesterBlue added 13:52 - Jul 10 Not needed. Plus I disagree that if Murph or McG go we need a proven striker - Pitman, Murph/McG and Sears all proven - lets buy potential. I again make a case for Tom Bradshaw from Walsall. Far better use of £1.2m.
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Slambo added 14:13 - Jul 10 I've certainly been happy with the pre season so far, but this development worries me. Selling one player for a big sum and using it to strengthen key areas, a la Kieron Dyer, is great, but this proposed like for like swap is just unnecessarily upsetting a stable team. Clayton Donaldson could do a job, but he's still got to bed in and get used to the area and his new teammates. Murph's been here on and off for yonks. It make all the difference. AND PLEASE don't entertain the idea of McGoldrick leaving. He's too valuable... As someone earlier said, we tend to conclude our business quickly, so I hope this story has no legs and is just more idle, hack journalism. Just looked on the Ipswich Star and the club reckon no such offer has been made for Donaldson. I wouldn't've believed it a few years ago, but I get the impression Milne is a far more sophisticated operator...

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