Town are reported to have made a late approach to Ajax to try to gazump Birmingham City’s loan move for striker Chuba Akpom.

The 29-year-old was due to undergo a medical at St Andrew’s today but, according to Sky Sports, the Blues have made a late push to sign the former Middlesbrough frontman.

The Midlanders, who Town travel to face in their Championship opener on Friday, are believed to have agreed a season-long loan with an option to buy at the end of the campaign for £7 million should the win promotion to the Premier League.

Akpom’s former club Boro and Greek side Olympiacos are also believed to be interested in the one-time Arsenal trainee.

According to Dutch reporter Mike Verweij, the Blues are looking to buy rather than loan Akpom.

If a deal is agreed with more than one side, then the player will make the decision on where he will play his football in 2025/26.

Newham-born Akpom came through the Gunners’ academy ranks and had spells on loan at Brentford, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Brighton and in Belgium with Sint-Truiden while a player at the Emirates.

Having made one senior start and 11 sub appearances, the 6ft tall striker moved on to PAOK Salonika in Greece for £900,000 in August 2018.

After two years, he joined Boro for £2.75 million, returning to PAOK on loan for 2021/22, before joining Ajax for an initial €12.3 million (£10.7 million), rising to €14.3 million (£12.4 million) with add-ons.

He spent the second half of last season on loan in Ligue 1 in France with Lille, who chose not to take up an option to sign him permanently at the end of his spell.

An England cap at U16, U17, U19, U20 and U21 levels, Akpom has scored 21 goals in 39 starts and 40 sub appearances for Ajax in all competitions and bagged three in six starts and nine games from the bench during his short spell with Lille. For the Teessiders, he netted 34 goals in 59 starts and 23 games from the bench.

Town are very much in the hunt for another striker - probably two - to compete with George Hirst, Liam Delap having moved to Chelsea at the end of last season for £30 million, while Akpom also operates as a number 10.

Photo: Stefan Koops - EYE4images via Reuters Connect

poet added 10:14 - Aug 4 Here we go again. He’s a good player, but why haven’t we tried to sign him earlier than this late stage in the window?
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WalkRules added 10:15 - Aug 4 May struggle if Boro are also trying for this as he had a few great years there so might fancy a return. May come down to paying in full vs a loan deal - surely then its less down to what the player wants and his club getting the money.
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TownSupporter added 10:16 - Aug 4 Thought we should get involved in this transfer when reading Birmingham were in for him. Had a good return for Middlesbrough before his move to Ajax. Lets get this done.
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FreddySteady added 10:19 - Aug 4 Smacks a little bit of desperation if I’m honest.
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blues1 added 10:25 - Aug 4 Poet. How do you know, we havent enquired,about him previously? Just havent made an approach until now?
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Len_Brennan added 10:26 - Aug 4 It's all getting a bit last minute scattergun approach of late. Notwithstanding the fact that Akpom is a proven top goalscorer at this level, he doesn't exactly fit the Hirst-like profile of centre forward that we have targetted over recent years. It seems like us turning to him whrn he's almost signed by Brum, might suggest that Ivan Azon isn't coming. He'd be a strong signing no doubt, but it's a far cry from Ashton's interview from a few week's back, where he said we are already advanced on a number of our targets.

7

MickMillsTash added 10:28 - Aug 4 We need a striker, he's a striker. Not necessarily one for the premier league but definitely one for the Championship - DEAL!
2

Generic added 10:29 - Aug 4 I mis-read the headline and thought we were in for a player called Gazump.
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B_Block_Massive added 10:30 - Aug 4 Everyone saying this smack of desperation and why haven't we tried to sign him earlier on...perhaps he wasn't available earlier in the window, perhaps he didnt want a championship move earlier in the window and is now open to a move, its not as simple as putting bids in and signing players the second the window opens
7

Ipswich_Sniffer added 10:34 - Aug 4 No thanks, this guy is filth
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bluesissy added 10:34 - Aug 4 Desperate times....
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darkhorse28 added 10:39 - Aug 4 Poet. Exactly, he’s a good player, but there’s no strategy at this point, it’s chaotic at best. There’s no excuses this window, we knew the league we’d be in and the budget back in March. Actually much sooner if we’re honest. Our strategic planning is SO consistently poor. You can get away with a lot in League One, with a talented coach and good players…, not so higher up .., you need a plan and to be have the skill to execute it. We have neither at the minute. We look directionless. The club we’ve signed most players from is WBA (and Brighton) and even Kipre comes through that connection…., that’s not a long term vision to be an elite club, the lack of reach and talent ID networks is holding us back as much today as the last 18 months. We haven’t improved, we’re regressing in these areas. The sooner Gamechanger move on, the sooner we can (hopefully) focus our resources in these areas and move forwards. There’s no excuse for a lack of professionalism with our resources.

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Alphawhiskey added 10:47 - Aug 4 This seems like a panic, desperate buy? Hope not as he sounds decent. So far this has been a poor window. Way too may out, not enough quality in. Busy week, we need to hit the ground running
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PortmanTerrorist added 10:49 - Aug 4 Quite clear we have not been able to secure our first or secondary targets this summer. And after a brief, successful period in the transfer Market at League 1 level, we have failed to deliver the players in the past 3 windows that would have given us a realistic chance to stay up and now we are potentially being compromised re bouncing back. There is STILL time but we look light as we did most of last season. Don't know if there is a process to trust, but am hopeful we catch a break or 2, as this is the kind of situation that can derail a season and (perhaps more concerning) have McKenna questioning if we are capable of being a Premier League Club and his future.

3

ITFCMatt1 added 10:54 - Aug 4 Everyone moaning we haven't signed a striker, now we're trying to sign one, still moaning. Middlesbrough's top scorer 2 years ago and played in Europe with Ajax last year, in what way is this not a good signing if we can make it happen? I guess everyone is expecting us to be signing Mbappe
22

Linkboy13 added 10:55 - Aug 4 This transfer drama speculation call it what you like happens every preseason and next season will be no different at most clubs especially in the Premier league and championship. We didn't exactly set the world alight with our signings last season and this season we've had to tighten our belts with Gamechanger not so keen to put their hands into their pockets. We heard nothing from them during the last half of last season and this was a red flag to me and i said this at the time.

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Andybro added 10:55 - Aug 4 Never understand why ipswich take soooo long getting signings through the door compared to other clubs.....
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Guenchev_Boncho added 10:55 - Aug 4 Proven at this level and available at a reasonable price. This would be an excellent signing for us and far better than any strikers we have been linked with so far. Genuine competition for Hirst. Players become available at different points during the window, we should all understand that being on the wrong side of that so far. Important we don't lose out to Boro or Brum if indeed we are in for him.

9

dirtydingusmagee added 10:56 - Aug 4 cant make out why we are favourites to go up to be honest, things arent looking that rosy at present we seem to be scramblin around in the dark , Delap gone and still looking for a replacement,Hutchinson looking like will be gone imo, players out injured already, and we are missing out on targeted players.Hardly a confidence boosting run up to the opening game .Need some positive outcomes soon .

5

jazzback added 10:56 - Aug 4 He did well when at Boro, and must be decent to off player for a team like Ajax. Get the deal done. Experienced so less risk than the young Spanish lad. Get the deal done.
6

Marinersnose added 11:03 - Aug 4 Unfortunately IpswIch will always struggle to attract players because of our geographical location. Many young players don’t want to come to East Anglia and gravitate to bigger cities. McKenna has built a good reputation and the club have a fantastic history but it’s always been an issue.
4

poet added 11:09 - Aug 4 blues1. I’ll let you try and work that one out for yourself, however I’ll give you a couple of clues. Clue 1 because there’s been no reports what -so- ever in the media generally. Clue number 2, is that Town would have stated in this latest report, that they had tried to sign him earlier. Hope that explains it.
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bobble added 11:15 - Aug 4 We move as fast as the Ents when it comes to chasing a striker...
0

BlueArmy999 added 11:19 - Aug 4 Again, negative morons out in force. It never ceases to amaze me how many fans that we have who are unhappy with what ever we do. Last season it was philogene and Clarke who got slammed for not performing , yet anyone with a brain cell knows that it takes time for players to bed into the system.
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FreddySteady added 11:19 - Aug 4 Actually, his goal record isn’t bad at all.
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