Town boss Paul Hurst has confirmed the Blues tried to sign AFC Wimbledon skipper Deji Oshilaja in the closing hours of the transfer window on Thursday and says he is currently undecided whether Andre Dozzell will be sent out on loan, although he has spoken to Tristan Nydam about potentially going out for a spell.

“We were interested but a deal couldn’t be done,” Hurst said regarding centre-half Oshilaja, who was the player TWTD reported the Blues boss was looking to make his 10th summer signing in the couple of hours between his Thursday press conference and the window closing.

“We felt the valuation was too high for a player that’s available on a free contract in January and while for some people it’s easy to say, ‘Just pay whatever it takes’ you’ve got to feel like a fair deal has been agreed and we didn’t feel that was the case.”

Could it be a deal he resurrects on loan? “We’ll see, I’m not sure whether a loan deal would be happening there. But let’s see what these next weeks bring.”

Asked whether he is going to send Dozzell out on loan, he said: “No, I had a chat with Andre.. I say no, I’ll explain the situation.

“He’s still nowhere near where he needs to be realistically. We did some testing with him yesterday and we’ve got to make a decision what’s best for him, whether it is to go out and try and get some games.

“But we had a conversation among the staff and people in a better place than me to comment on the physicality side of it - if he does go out, is he going to give himself the best chance of impressing?

“What I don’t want is Andre to get even more frustrated and disappointed because I don’t think he’s really in the position to really do himself full justice as yet.

“At moments, yes. I explained it, and he’s a lot better than I am, but it’s like me joining in training. I might do one or two things that are alright but I can’t go out there and play.

“But Andre, like the pass against West Ham, he can do some things, but is it fair and is he really going to be at his best?

“He’s a very, very talented player who should have a very big future for the football club. I’ve got a duty of care for him now as his manager and we want to make the best decision for Andre moving forward.”

So as it stands he won’t be going out? “It’s in-between. We’ll probably have another discussion on that, but anyone that’s perhaps looking at it and shouting for Andre to be in the team will have to trust me, that’s not the best way forward for the player or us at the minute.”

Hurst says he has talked to Nydam, who along with Dozzell wasn’t in today’s squad, about going out on loan, while Flynn Downes would have travelled to Rotherham had he not been ill.

“I’ve spoken to Tristan and that’s something we’ve had a conversation about,” he said. “Flynn was in the squad but he was sick after training yesterday.

“We felt it was a virus, a bug so we didn’t want him travelling up with us. The plan was that if he was OK today to maybe travel up but he still hadn’t really eaten and the last thing I wanted was him in or around the group and ultimately I don’t think he would have been anywhere close to being at his best to be part of the squad.”

Photo: Action Images

algarvefan added 00:45 - Aug 12 I'm gonna sound like a scouser now but 'Calm Down' everyone. The club has qualified professionals who decide when a player is ready, they decide, not us and that's the way it should be. We can express our opinions but lets not snipe at each other guys, we all want the best for our team......don't we? Everyone thought Bobby Robson was rubbish and clueless when he first came to Ipswich, that didn't work out so bad did it..........I have faith in the new management and the players he has brought in, it will take time to gel .

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Zondervanromeo added 05:56 - Aug 12 Couldn't Dozzell play at fullback ?at least for a bit until he's stronger
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blueplumber added 06:49 - Aug 12 I agree with jas099 talking sense. We wanted change but we've got a good base and I'm worried they're not getting thier deserved chance. To me kenlock or Emmanuel have never let us down.
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muccletonjoe added 07:00 - Aug 12 Some on here might try and give the common sense argument and the manager knows what he is doing, and they might well be right. But to my mind it didn't make sense when we played other clubs players ahead of our own under Mick McCarthy and it doesn't make sense now under Paul Hurst. Sorry if it goes against all this wonderful blind faith, but it's an opinion I have always had despite who the manager is.

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martin587 added 08:12 - Aug 12 I think you'll find the manager is saying Dozzell is not fit enough to play at this high level,but a lower league would be more beneficial to him for a few months so he can get his fitness up to the required level needed to play in the Champioship.(just saying).It makes sense to me so the sooner he is fittere we will all benefit.
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DurhamTownFan added 08:34 - Aug 12 I don't really get this. MM clearly hated very creative player and was too risk averse to pick Andre when he was fit (which to be fair to MM wasn't much of his time here) Everyone agrees that this is a transition season for us, so why not have him available for plenty of games? Perhaps Hurst is thinking loan him til January, ensure relative safety, and then play him for the second half of the season? I really don't think he quite knows his best 11 yet though, and Andre could easily get into that. As I've said in numerous comments: I think we signed too many players in one go

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thundercat600 added 10:34 - Aug 12 As he has said from day one, its all about statistics, if the computer says that any player is not good enough then that's it. When his appointment was made public the anti MM brigade were bouncing up and down with glee. Lets all sit back and watch this all unravel in front of our eyes.
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Pilgrimblue added 10:40 - Aug 12 Another League 1 defender!! We've got enough so better PH got CCV back to bring some experience to help Chambo. Squad is looking very League 1 and funds generated by sales haven't been spent very wisely. Beginning to think that ME made big mistake with PH as he's not looking outside L1 & L2. Would have preferred Warburton as he knows the Championship and would have been brought in much earleir.

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naa added 10:41 - Aug 12 I have to say that I am a little worried about the squad strategy. We had a reasonable core of a team here yet we've signed 9 players and he wants more loan players in. None of the signings have championship experience. Can we really say that Donacien (from league 2) is better than Spence or Emanuel (who got player of the season at a club in a higher division)? Shouldn't we have kept at least one striker with experience? Jackson looks good but he has had one good season two divisions down where he only scored 14. I like the look of him but we would be foolish to rely on him for goals. Same with Harrison. There are a lot of gambles with the squad currently. Expecting that many players to gel quickly is a big risk as it is, let alone also expecting all of them to step up one or two divisions at the same time. Hurst has his work cut out for sure.

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naa added 10:47 - Aug 12 Martin587: if dozzel is fit enough for the lower leagues that would suggest that he's as fit as all of our new signings wouldn't it? Dozzel should stay. I can't believe that he isn't fit enough to play 15-20 mins of games to build his fitness back up. Much more useful than losing him for a season. Nydam should be getting sub slots ahead of Edun too. Not use blooding someone else's young players unless they are obviously better than our own.

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Butcherboy added 11:48 - Aug 12 Must admit I'm a bit confused by the manager's comments recwnt. He reportedly said that it may take the new loan signings up to two seasons to get used to the championshi: so when he's got several young players coming through who are as close if not closer than that to being ready for the Championship why has he brought so many newbies in and “dumped” all the youngsters. It feels like he has rushed into decisions which to a certain extent were forced on him by the transfer window closing early plus him not arriving until the start of the season. It's going to take tome to gel I get that completely but I still think it smacks of trying too hard to make changes. I hope it works for him but so far all I've heard from him is excuses; we can only shop bargain basement, going to take a long time for the players to get used to the championship and it will take time to build something. Fingers crossed it works out.

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carsey added 13:36 - Aug 12 Subject to them being fit and not ill I would want to see our youngsters in the team/squad ahead of any of the others, especially the loan players. IMO they have much more to offer and they are our future. I would hate to see them overlooked.
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martin587 added 14:20 - Aug 12 naa. Yes,I agree to an extent,but 5 or 10 minutes here or there is not going to get him fit,is it.He needs a full game. This is one topic we will never all agree on,but surely Paul is best to sort this,not us.!
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therein61 added 16:37 - Aug 12 While I can see the need for Andre to get his fitness levels up I fear for his well being on loan in the lower leagues as he is a very good player who will stand out head and shoulders above those in opposition resulting in him getting roughed up and kicked to bits he needs nurturing not being thrown to the wolves.
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naa added 21:46 - Aug 12 Martin587, I did say 15-20 not 5 here and there. I'd have thought a month or two of that and he'd be able to start and play 60 or so. But I agree that we have to defer to the manager on this. As he knows the situation best. I'm just unhappy with his general recruitment policy so far and this talk of loans in and out was the straw that broke the camel's back.
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:57 - Aug 13 naa ,that is exactly what i was thinking re fitness.If he is loaned out to a lge 1 team he must be as fit as the players brought in .if so let him get some time in for us ,he is Ipswich through and through, and can be relied on to give his best.
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