Town remain in talks regarding the signing of Blackburn forward Sammie Szmodics, according to Rovers boss John Eustace, however, we understand the Lancastrians have turned down another Blues bid.

TWTD revealed that Town were in discussions with the Championship side regarding Szmodics more than three weeks ago with the Blues having put in an initial offer of £6 million.

That was rebuffed and a number of subsequent bids were made before Town made an offer of £8 million plus a further £2 million just over a week ago, a figure which was expected to be enough to be accepted, despite claims Rovers want an unlikely £20 million for the Colchester-born attacker.

TWTD understands Rovers turning down that bid was what triggered Szmodics, who is understood to be very keen on the move, and his agent to hold showdown talks with the Rovers management on Tuesday.

Szmodics was left out of the Blackburn team which won 1-0 at Stockport in a friendly on Friday night and Rovers manager Eustace says discussions with the Blues continue.

“He's still in talks with Ipswich, I believe, so we'll have to see what happens,” he told The Lancashire Telegraph.

“Listen, Sammie is a top player, I don't want to lose him as a head coach but we'll have to see what happens on that.”

Eustace was questioned on reports that Blackburn had set a deadline of the end of July for the deal to be completed.

“I am sure there is a deadline and I think we're just waiting on that over the weekend, I think,” he added.

“He's been training, he has been his bubbly self around the place. If he stays then he will be involved for sure.”

Szmodics, a player we understand the Blues have eyed in the last couple of windows, came through the youth ranks with hometown club Colchester before breaking into their first team in 2013 prior to a spell on loan in non-league with Braintree.

A move to Bristol City, where Blues CEO Mark Ashton was then in charge, followed in 2019, prior to a switch to Peterborough, initially on loan, before he joined Blackburn in August 2022.

Last season, the forward was top scorer in the Championship with 27 goals, leading to his first international call-ups with the Republic of Ireland. He has now won four full caps.

Photo: Nurphoto

Nomore4 added 08:56 - Aug 3 Yawn…..
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Saxonblue74 added 09:04 - Aug 3 The offer on the table is already too much in my opinion. Time to move on and forget trying to deal with Blackburn.
15

algarvefan added 09:06 - Aug 3 For God sakes look elsewhere and quickly, only 2 weeks to Liverpool.
5

jas0999 added 09:14 - Aug 3 Two weeks today the season starts and the squad is thin to say the least. Good player he may be, but we need to get players in and can ill afford to waste any more time.
10

jayceee added 09:21 - Aug 3 Was Blackburn on anyone's sh1tlist before? Have added to mine now.
3

Broadbent23 added 09:32 - Aug 3 Unfortunately Blackburn our owned by Indian Poultry producers who are not football people. Have generally mismanaged their club for years. The £20m is far too much for a player with no prem experience. If we got him at £12m any potential goals in the next 3 years could secure our Prem future, but unfortunately it would also hamper further spending before deadline day. We have to trust the process.

0

OldFart71 added 09:34 - Aug 3 Agree with fellow writers on this forum. Time to move on. They obviously want more than he is worth. Also no guarantee he will score anywhere near the 27 goals he got last season.
2

number8 added 09:36 - Aug 3 We can’t want more money for people buying our players then moan when a club plays hardball to get more money. We either pay the minimum they will take or move on and the negotiation in between will work or not.
2

TB42 added 09:37 - Aug 3 Move on . We need to strengthen the squad quickly and this is not helping!!!!
4

GTRKing added 09:39 - Aug 3 Look we bidded what we thought he is worth! We won’t be going any higher so let’s move on to other targets they can keep an unhappy player who won’t wanna play! I know it’s 2 weeks to the season but I am sure we will get some players in
4

LancsBlue added 09:45 - Aug 3 A lot of people in panic mode. We are looking to secure players for the next 2-5 years, not a scramble to have them in for Liverpool in two weeks. The first two games will not define our season. Injured players won't be out forever. Let's stay calm and see where we are when the window closes.
18

jayceee added 09:47 - Aug 3 Was wondering is this is the kind of on going dispute that tribunals are supposed to resolve. Anyway - perhaps most people already know, but have just discovered tribunals are only used when the player involved is not older than 24yo.
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jayceee added 09:48 - Aug 3 LancsBlue Fair comment. Doesn't reflect well on Blackburn though imo, and we can have a moan about them, lol!
0

itfc2024 added 09:51 - Aug 3 BORING lets move on all this wasting time is affecting our focus on other players we need mckenna said we need a lot of players and since last week 1 signed and we are focusing to much on sammy who i dont think is even worth 10 million let alone 20
0

Bluemike31 added 09:51 - Aug 3 Just move on ffs, wasting time with these Venkey's tossers instead of building up the squad. It's getting ridiculous now.
0

ArnieM added 09:56 - Aug 3 Oh, FFS, Town, just walk away! Blackburn owners are a bunch of tossas..
4

Rimsy added 10:05 - Aug 3 McK must Really want him to take all this bs from Blackburn, so good enough for me. Just a note to self, don't try to deal with Blackburn in the future, steer well clear.
1

Bazza8564 added 10:05 - Aug 3 Blackburn will want time to reinvest and their season starts next week. My money is on Mark Ashton to land his man then to tell the recruitment team not bother with anybody else from there.
2

blues1 added 10:18 - Aug 3 Bazza8564. Blackburn have already signed 3 forwards, so they must be expecting to sell him. Just playing hardball on the fee I guess. Maybe we have to either pay a bit more than we'd like to or move on from it. Would be a shame for the player tho, as he clearly wants the move. Pretty sure we are working on alternatives too, in case it falls through. Clearly some1 Mckenna wants tho, or I'm sure we'd have already called it a day.

1

phillymark added 10:19 - Aug 3 Those who are saying "walk away" and "wasting time"...if this is the man McK wants, it's worth the effort. Plus we are capable of continuing these negotiations and doing other things. LancsBlue has it right. Take a long term view
5

ipswichone added 10:20 - Aug 3 He is obviously high on our buy list,even though he hasn't done anything in the premier league.weekend is apparently deadline day to buy.so slap 14 million on the table ,as final offer.take it or leave it,then move on
2

blues1 added 10:20 - Aug 3 Itfc2024. Get ur concern, bit dont think it will be affecting our focus elsewhere. We'll be working on a number of deals, no doubt.
1

Marinersnose added 10:26 - Aug 3 We had the same problem when dealing with them before. Time to step away. A midfielder please before next weekend.
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Cambsrover14 added 10:36 - Aug 3 Blue1 the strikers we have signed is NOT to replace Szmodics it's to replace Gallagher and Telalovic who both have not scored enough GOALS. GALLAGHER has 38 in five years and Telalovic didn't even score the time he played.
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Blue_In_Boston added 10:37 - Aug 3 Taking inflation into account £8 million doesn't seem outrageous compared to what we paid for Marcus Stewart in 2000. If he scores the goals that keep us up its a steal.
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