Shrewsbury chief executive Brian Caldwell says ideally his club would like to keep Blues targets Jon Nolan and Toto Nsiala and doesn't need to sell them, but admits the duo “are not focused on playing for Shrewsbury” having handed in transfer requests following Town’s joint-bid, which emerged earlier this afternoon. Caldwell, who refused to confirm the identity of the interested club, although as revealed earlier TWTD can confirm it is Ipswich, says the offer was turned down and he has given the other club his valuation of the pair.

“A Championship club contacted us yesterday and put an offer in by text message to myself for the two players, which obviously didn’t reach our valuation,” Caldwell outlined in an interview with BBC Radio Shropshire.

“We looked at the valuations quite closely the chairman and I and we discussed it even last season with [former Shrews manager and current Town boss] Paul [Hurst] and I think we all kind of knew what parameters we were looking at if we had to sell the players.

“However, what I would say is that we don’t need to sell the players, we’re not needing cash like a lot of football clubs, we don’t want to sell the players and this is totally out of our control.

“The players today have obviously got wind of everything through their agents etc and maybe perhaps the other club, shall I say, which I’m sure has been going on behind everybody’s back.

“And they’ve now handed in transfer requests, obviously in an effort to force us to sell. But, one, we don’t to sell, two, we don’t need the money and the third thing is they’ve not met the valuation and we’re not going to sell them on the cheap.”

He added: “In an ideal world we would have liked them to stay but at the end of the day we always need to be focused on the best interests of Shrewsbury Town Football Club and we want players who want to play here, that want to play for the football club and don’t just want to jump ship at the first opportunity.

“Obviously, any bids need to reach our valuation, we don’t want to be selling players on the cheap.”

Caldwell, who says the offer was the first time he has received a bid by text in 25 years in the game, wouldn’t confirm that Town were the club involved, however, he said regarding his club’s former manager Hurst: “Obviously Paul’s been linked with players he knows well from his time here. Obviously three days before we kick-off the new season on Saturday it isn’t great timing for anybody.

“But I’m standing strong here that the valuation that we all feel is the right valuation for the players will be the valuation we’ll accept.”

The Shrews chief says the situation could develop quickly in the next day or so with the Blues keen to strengthen their squad before Saturday’s opening game and if not certainly prior to the transfer window closing next Thursday.

“Anything’s possible in football, things change in minutes, never mind days,” he conceded. “I think it’s possible.

“At the moment I’ve gone back to the other club and explained where I value the players at. I’ve explained that we don’t need the money and I’ve explained that I don’t want to sell the players.

“But obviously we’re in a situation that the players are not focused on playing for Shrewsbury Town and we want players who are focused on playing for Shrewsbury Town.”

He says he’s not yet had a response from Town to rejection of the joint-offer, which some Shropshire sources are reporting to have been £1.4 million: “No, we got the bid yesterday, I went back to them with the valuation which I felt was more appropriate to the levels than they’ve put in and haven’t had any feedback to that as yet.”

Photo: Action Images

boroughblue added 18:12 - Aug 1 Would be simply over the moon if we get this done. This is a real test of ME's support, in PH we trust!!
9

OwainG1992 added 18:12 - Aug 1 Very interesting read this. We've always been that nice little Ipswich to other teams and now we are going for players and upsetting some on the way. #uptheblues
10

spanishblue added 18:13 - Aug 1 So in politician speech that must mean we want to sell but I,ve got to keep my fans happy and sound big and hard bargaining,2 more cogs in the wheel probably now what about the big boy in Blackpool,I can see why he's top of the list
2

Pumpee1980 added 18:14 - Aug 1 Most communication between people is done by text nowadays lol could've been worse, they could have done it via snapchat
8

rfretwell added 18:14 - Aug 1 Nolan would give much needed experience in midfield and he's not injured!. Regarding Nsiala, I really want Tilt - he looks even more of a beast yet has impressive ball skills, footwork and tricks for a big c/d. And is zBeattie like in powering his way out of defence.
6

robmonkey007 added 18:15 - Aug 1 Don't need to sell......but looks like you'll have to now they have stated they don't want to stay. Is refreshing to be on the other side of this for a change.
2

Marshalls_Mullet added 18:15 - Aug 1 Think the deal is done and this is just rhetoric to appease the Shrews fans.
5

WebbyWebster added 18:26 - Aug 1 Love the idea of Nolan but not sold at all on Nsiala, ideally Tilt was the one at Shrews and part of the two man deal
1

RedDust added 18:28 - Aug 1 Sell Garner to Bolton for 500k then get Nisala Nolan & Tilt in with the remaining funds. keep Waghorn.
13

bluearmy78 added 18:30 - Aug 1 Caldwell is saying that they don't need the money, we'll have them on the free then! These 2 will dramatically strengthen the squad, let's get this deal done, COYB!
3

PositivelyPortman added 18:33 - Aug 1 If they don't need the money, then we'll have them for nothing then. They probably won't play for the Shrews again so, get em on the next bus down here.
0

blue75 added 18:37 - Aug 1 Don't need to sell yeah league 1 club a wash with money!! 1.4 mill is good for them that would give their manager a bit to strengthen their promotion push!!
0

therein61 added 18:37 - Aug 1 Nice to see some get up and go re signings for a change coupled with the get up and go football on the park Saturday!! lets keep it going and give these boys their heads the future is young and beautiful C.O.Y.B. what a refreshing change from what we have been used to!!
3

jas0999 added 18:38 - Aug 1 The problem now is we are fast running out of time. And with Waghorn likely to move on, we need urgent reinforcements.
2

Len_Brennan added 18:42 - Aug 1 Agree with those to would prefer Tilt over Nsiala, although I was more than happy to have him before I knew of our interest in Donacien. As things currently stand I hope we sign all Tilt & Nsiala even with Donacien already here. If we lose out on Tilt, that would be my biggest disappointment.
4

muccletonjoe added 18:48 - Aug 1 Their valuation will quite clearly be more 2.4million. nuff said.
-1

TrueBlueRich added 18:51 - Aug 1 Jon Nolan impressed in play-offs, brilliant goal on the volley .would prefer Tilt to Nsiala. Just get it sorted ME ,you've done ok so far. Can't wait for Saturday.
2

Sixto6 added 18:51 - Aug 1 I'd be very happy to get these two in, and no disrespect to the lady we have signed from Accrington Stanley but I don't see how we are happy to pay £750k for him but not £1m for Tilt who looks class and worth a lot more by the look of him ? Same with the two from Shrewsbury? Nolan on his own must be worth £1.4m. Come on town get these deals done and give us a real boost to start the season !!!

4

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 18:57 - Aug 1 Rumour has it ME is getting fed up with Blackburn's refusal to budge, so surely it will be EITHER Nsiala OR Tilt, not both? Mind you, a back four of Knudsen, Tilt, Nsiala, and Donacien sounds tasty. Not sure where that leaves Chambers, the Wolf, Spence, Emmanuel, et. al. though. People say our squad is thin, but we have masses of midfielders, for example. I can see us getting rid of some more players down the line - either not wanted any longer or never fit. PH obviously runs a tough regime.

2

Terra_Farma added 19:07 - Aug 1 Marshalls Mullet - I hope so. I would love Town to land these two.
0

Ipswichbusiness added 19:23 - Aug 1 I can understand a centre-back and a centre-forward, but we have lots of central midfielders already.
2

luckydiddy added 19:26 - Aug 1 fingers crossed to getting them all ...AND keeping Waghorn (unlikely but this is football .. we hope!) certainly would expand the squad with players unlikely to be on massive wages ... creates a larger squad which we have needed and most importantly gives genuine competition for places.... it looks like PH runs a very fitness intensive regime ... I suspect the extra numbers are going to be needed in the squad to cope with that! Also it may be a lot of new players .. but its a new manager .. wanting to run things his way ... he's going to need players he thinks can play his way and judging from earlier comments he's not all that convinced the ones he inherited can/will. BUT this is a lot of players in towards the end of the transfer window .. they have missed pre-season etc .. they and PH MUST be given time.

1

legoman added 19:29 - Aug 1 I felt hard done by losing our promising academy lads to prem clubs but this would make up for it, fingers crossed.
2

brittaniaman added 19:45 - Aug 1 Hurst is certainly going round and upsetting a few clubs and unsettling a few players, who it seems want to play for him, hence the transfer requests being handed in ?? Good on ya Paul sort them out !!!!!!!
5

TimmyH added 19:49 - Aug 1 Feel a bit sorry for them...perhaps we can call ourselves Shrewswich Town! :)
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