Town are reported to have had a €22 million (£18.6 million) offer for Greek international striker Fotis Ioannidis rebuffed by his club Panathinaikos.

According to Sportime and other Greek sources, the Blues made the approach for the 24-year-old last week but the bid was turned down with Panathinaikos keen to keep hold of their player and in talks regarding a new deal.

However, it’s anticipated that Town could come back with an increased offer nearer to the €25-€30 million region.

Ioannidis himself is said to be happy in Greece but would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Lisbon-based Sporting CP has been viewed as Ioannidis’s most likely destination this summer were he to move on and it’s reported in the Portuguese press that the Blues’ offer was turned down as it included too many bonus clauses.

Ioannidis was a youth player with Olympiacos Chalkida and Levadiakos before breaking into senior football with the latter late in 2018.

In August 2020, he joined Panathinaikos on a four-year deal. Goals were hard to come by in his first three seasons with the Athens-based side, netting four, four and seven in the league in those campaigns.

Nevertheless, his form was good enough to see him win the first of his 11 full caps - two goals - in 2022, having already played at U18, U19 and U21 levels.

Last season, however, Ioannidis, whose father Vasilios also played professionally in Greece, netted 23 times and picked up nine assists in all competitions, 15 in the league, seven in Europe, Panathinaikos having narrowly missed out on the group stage of the Champions League before entering the Europa League.

That led to interest from clubs abroad including Sporting and Girona in Spain, while Ioannidis is reported to have turned down interest from French side Lille.

If Town were to land Ioannidis, the striker’s fee would be the biggest in the club’s history, with the £4.8 million paid to Sampdoria for keeper Matteo Sereni in the summer of 2001 still the club record. Ioannidis would also be the first player signed from an overseas club since the takeover.

Meanwhile, the Blues continue to be linked with Tottenham centre-half Joe Rodon, who spent last season on loan with Leeds United.

The Whites are keen to sign the Wales international permanently, but Football.London reports that Town are among the other suitors along with fellow promoted sides Leicester and Southampton.

Swansea-born Rodon came through the ranks at his hometown club, spending time on loan at Cheltenham while with the Swans.

The ball-playing centre-half’s form with the Welsh club in the Championship led to Spurs signing him for £11 million in October 2020 on a five-year deal which is up next summer.

Since then, he has made 14 starts and 10 sub appearances for Tottenham and has spent spells on loan at Rennes and then last season Leeds, where he made 49 starts and one sub appearance as the Whites missed out on promotion in the play-offs.

Elsewhere, former Town loanee Jeremy Sarmiento says he's yet to have discussions regarding his future with parent club Brighton.

“I have pre-season to do, where I'll go back with Brighton. Then we'll see what happens,” the 22-year-old said having scored on his birthday for Ecuador in their 2-1 victory over Honduras yesterday, his first international goal.

When Sarmiento joined the Blues on loan in January, it was understood that the deal included the potential for the forward to return to Portman Road this summer.

Meanwhile, former Town loanee Callum Connolly joined League Two champions Stockport County over the weekend after leaving Blackpool.

The 26-year-old was with the Blues in 2017/18, making 30 starts and five sub appearances, scoring four times.

Photo: Sipa USA

ITFC_95 added 14:14 - Jun 17 Yes we need to strengthen at the back but conceding the amount of goals we do isn’t solely down to individual defenders’ ability. It’s more to do with the fact we essentially play 3-2-4-1 when we have the ball which is what allows us to score so many goals
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Flight_of_Shefki added 14:16 - Jun 17 Fascinating approach. Though, reading these kinds of monetary figures (i.e. millions ££) still doesn't quite sink in for me; the Premier League is a monster!
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RegencyBlue added 14:36 - Jun 17 Interesting link which seems to have some substance behind it or at least more than most. To have a hope of surviving in the PL we are going to have to spend a considerable sum and I think we will. Having got to the PL Gamechanger are not going to want to go straight back down so they will invest as much as allowed. Obviously the money needs to be spent well but McKenna will presumably be sanctioning the players we put bids in for so I’m happy with moves like this. We are not shopping in the bargain basement anymore as we were under Evans!

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del45 added 14:38 - Jun 17 The rumours are now starting wait and see when you hear from TWTD.
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Eeyore added 15:12 - Jun 17 We are never going to pay that for a player who doesnt even want to play for us. Would be a disaster. Should just go for Morgan Whittaker and Jay Stansfield. Both of those for half the money.
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blues1 added 15:17 - Jun 17 Prebbs. Of course the defence needs strengthening. But so does the forward line. We only have hirst, who doesn't score many, and Al Hamadi , who no1 knows if hes be ready for the pl or not. Pretty sure the club are aware of what areas need strengthening, but you can't pick and choose which players you sign 1st. Would be all very well strengthening the defence, but if we don't get some1 who'll score goals, we'd get relegated for sure. We just need to be patient and let the club get on with it.

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wischip added 15:20 - Jun 17 It's been a while since we've had a rebuffal isn't it ? I'd forgotten what it felt like to be rebuffed.
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Help added 15:22 - Jun 17 Do you not think we are looking at defenders. It is just that this has been leaked, which happens to be a striker. I am pretty sure we have enquiries with quite a few players at all different stages. Others have not made the media.
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RegencyBlue added 15:35 - Jun 17 Eeyore Think you have gone against your point there! Both Whittaker and Stansfield have had the opportunity to play for us in the past by all accounts and didn’t take it. Also the article doesn’t say this guy has refused us, just that our initial bid has been turned down by his club.
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Theipswich added 16:27 - Jun 17 Calm down guys..it's early season so it's all Greek to me...
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:30 - Jun 17 Doubt we will get him but who knows , looks good and it shows we have eyes abroad. Fingers crossed
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BurleysGloryDays added 16:38 - Jun 17 You can’t help but feel we’ve got a lot of brand building to do after our 20 year absence from football! If we stay up, come next season players still be wanting to join, this season it is a tougher risk sell. Ashton wonderful at it - and with KMK in the building we have hope.
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FreddySteady added 16:50 - Jun 17 As long as we don’t do a Finidi/Sereni and ruin the togetherness we have at the moment though it’s quite a fine balancing act. I do trust the Management team not to blow big bucks on unsuitable players.
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leftie1972 added 18:55 - Jun 17 Feck me, that’s serious money!
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cressi added 19:34 - Jun 17 Makes me laugh posts say go for Whittaker And Stansfield really this Greek chap scored 7 in Europe and has 11 caps for Greece on a different level hence why big clubs in Europe looking at him.
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papashango87 added 20:21 - Jun 17 You know it’s possible to sign defenders and attackers? They don’t just have to work on one signing at a time. Seems of a higher pedigree which will be needed, goals won’t be as easy to come by next season.
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kiwiblue added 21:32 - Jun 17 Like the way the ball seems to stick to both feet in the videos and the strengh he has when going past players and scoring or passing. what a step up he or similar will be.
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DavefromWatford added 22:30 - Jun 17 It was nice to see a player scoring with either foot and his head. too many players these days are one footed. As regency Blue said it was the club that rebuffed not the player and it was because of the bonuses. Come on Mark go and get him and Joe Rodon.
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bjkirk12 added 23:24 - Jun 17 If they are paying this much, they should make a pitch for Jonathan David of Lille. Bit more expensive, but better upside. And I agree... defence and goalkeeping are also high priorities
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hyperbrit added 00:30 - Jun 18 while everybody is admiring the shiny front door the house is flooded from heaven knows what's coming in from the open back one
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