Town boss Kieran McKenna kept his cards close to his chest when quizzed on the Blues’ moves for Chuba Akpom and Jens Cajuste, but admits it’s getting close for anyone to come in and be involved in Friday’s season opener at Birmingham.

Ajax forward Akpom has undergone his Town medical ahead of a season-long loan, Birmingham having pulled out of the running for the 29-year-old.

Midfielder Cajuste, who had a successful spell with the Blues in 2024/25, was understood to be due at the club yesterday for his medical ahead of a return for a second season on loan. Both deals are expected to go through.

Asked about Akpom, the subject of something of a transfer mini-saga over the last couple of days, McKenna said: “There’s nothing to say, really. I think those that know me know I don’t ever speak about anyone else’s players. Chuba’s an Ajax player and there’s nothing there’s nothing really to comment on it.”

The Blues boss dismissed any suggestion of irony, Akpom potentially lining up for Town on Friday against the other side who had been vying for his signature.

“I don’t think it would be, to be honest,” he reflected. “I’d pretty much say any player that we would be looking at, other clubs in the Championship who want to be at the top end of the division would also be looking at.

“And that’s the same at every club. There’s only a certain pool of talented players who can help clubs achieve their goals.

“Any player that’s available on the market is going to have multiple clubs, so certainly from our point of view, it would never be about who our next opponent is or who the next game is.

“We only ever bring someone to the club if we thought it would be a benefit over the course of the season, over the longer term. We’ll see how that all pans out.”

Quizzed on the Cajuste situation, McKenna laughed: “You’re going to be disappointed with the answer on that one! Again, a Napoli player, someone we know a little bit better and I’ve spoken before about how much I really enjoyed working with the player but for now, he’s a Napoli player.”

The Blues boss admits it’s now getting very tight for any new signing to be in the squad for Friday - the deadline is midday on Thursday - particularly with Akpom and Cajuste coming from clubs abroad and international clearance required before the moves are complete.

“I think it’s getting really close, to be honest, even if you take out deadlines of transfers, but also time with the group,” McKenna continued.

“We’ve got one more very short session in the morning and we’ll be travelling to Birmingham at lunchtime, so I think it’s getting really, really close to the point where someone could be integrated.

“My plans, my thoughts at the moment are just getting ready with the players that we have fit and available without the depth that we would want going into that game, but with enough quality to go there and deliver a big performance and that’s where our focus is.”

The Town boss concedes he would have preferred to have been more progressed with additions to his squad by this point.

“The challenge of bringing in players in any transfer window is tough,” he said. “We’d like to be a little bit further ahead than we are but there are still a lot of situations ongoing.

“I can’t be happier with the boys that have been here and the core group that we’ll bring to Birmingham in terms of how they’ve worked and prepared. There’s still a lot to do.

“It’s another summer of probably more turnover than we would have wanted but the journey of the club in the last few years has been so rapid that is inevitable and it’s up to us to roll with that and make the best of that situation and make sure we could out of the other side of it stronger.”

Photo: Stefan Koops - EYE4images via Reuters Connect

Gforce added 15:39 - Aug 6 "There are still a lot of situations ongoing ",sounds very much like 4/5 deals hopefully in the making.
3

jas0999 added 15:45 - Aug 6 Agree with KM. very disappointing there haven’t been more additions, particularly knowing players were leaving. We knew about Delap once our relegation was sealed essentially, so to be where we are, with no replacement in, is very disappointing.
4

tetchris added 15:46 - Aug 6 ‘Still lots of situations ongoing” which suggests further movement in and out
1

blueoutlook added 15:51 - Aug 6 There needs to be more quality in the team. So yes, we definitely need another 4/5 signings as yet.
1

Bert added 15:52 - Aug 6 I rarely listen to TalkSport but I did today. They had a segment on transfers and why they are taking much longer to finalise. It appears that player contracts are much more complicated than they used to be, players have more say in the terms and conditions and, there is a dearth of number nines available throughout the world. Interesting also that the top Championship clubs are only interested in ready made acquisitions. I think all that may resonate with Ashton !

3

flykickingbybgunn added 16:05 - Aug 6 I think Jens would fit straight in because he knows most of them. Depending on fitness of course. I hope these two are not the last. Left back seems to be a vulnerable position.
2

poet added 16:41 - Aug 6 So reading between the lines, Town will face a strong Birmingham side without Akpom, Cajuste, ( both not completed their signing on papers) And possibly without Philogene, Davis and Townsend ( all injury doubts). We could be relying on Hutchinson and Broadhead, two players who want to leave. Not a great start to the season, feelings of déjà vue come to mind. But, that’s the way the cards have been dealt, no point complaining.

0

Tampa_Florida_Blue added 17:18 - Aug 6 The fact we are looking for players who would be good for PL but need to drop to the championship is also making life hard. Even with KMc in charge we still are not desirable to none current IK players. It a hard sell. While our aim is to go straight back up, it not guaranteed. I try to be a glass half full person, and a company owner, I know how hard it is to get staff (team players) in and keep them happy. HH being young was asked to move 300 miles from family and friends. I’m not shocked he said no.

-1

Karlosfandangal added 17:23 - Aug 6 Akpom and Cajuste look like they will sign Hutchinson and Broadhead on the way out with Muric So at least 2 more in to replace Hutchinson and Broadhead. Plus I guess a Townsend replacement So 5 in by the end of September ?
0

runningout added 17:59 - Aug 6 Wouldn’t hold back on moving players out, like we seem to
0

armchaircritic59 added 18:08 - Aug 6 Let's be honest here, any transfer window is a bear pit with so many variables. Clubs must have so many different plates spinning at any one time, and they can't predict in advance which are going to fall and which will keep spinning. I can tell you this for sure, MA's job at this time of the year or January, is not one I'd want, even though I'm sure he's well paid for it! It can be a lose lose situation as well with the likes of us in here. Damned if he doesn't bring in certain players, and damned if the ones that are brought in don't meet our overall approval. Let's just see what pans out over the next 26 days before the window closes. I wouldn't be surprised if there are one or two things bubbling under.

1

Linkboy13 added 19:14 - Aug 6 No chance of Jens fitting straight into the side he hasn't trained at a high intensity there's only a certain amount you can do on your own and played no matches. Could be at least 3 weeks before he's ready to play a full game.
0

Ebantiass added 19:36 - Aug 6 We have just rejected 35 million offer from Forest. Good
0

Ebantiass added 19:37 - Aug 6 For Omari
0

JewellintheTown added 09:43 - Aug 7 If McKenna wants to play mind games with Birmingham, he needs to get Akpom registered in before midday, so that Brum think he's got the potential to play. The Brum fans are convinced he's destined to score and win the game for us. That'll keep Brum occupied marking him for someone else less marked to do the business. I'm sure he & the staff are doing everything they can though within their control.

0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls