No Town Deadline-Day Kone Interest
Monday, 2nd Feb 2026 09:46

Town have no interest in bringing in QPR striker Richard Kone ahead of the transfer window closing at 7pm this evening, while Sammie Szmodics’s departure still hangs in the balance.

The 22-year-old Ivorian has been linked with the Blues this morning but has already played for two clubs this season, Wycombe Wanderers in addition to Rangers, so wouldn’t be able to feature for a third this term.

Another frontman has been on the Blues’ wishlist throughout January with an offer made to Patrick Bamford before the Sheffield United man opted to stay at Bramall Lane, then interest in Callum Wilson, who remains at West Ham. Leeds United’s Joel Piroe and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge are also understood to have been on the list of potential recruits during this window.

However, as it stands no incoming signing appears on the cards, although things can change very quickly on deadline day should the right player become available.

While the addition of a striker seems likely to be the only potential incoming business, Szmodics’s exit would be the most high profile departure.

Derby and Wrexham both made offers for the Irish international last week but neither acceptable. The Rams are believed to willing to pay £3 million and the Red Dragons, who we understand are also looking at an alternative forward addition, £5 million.

Town are believed to be targeting £6 million and manager Kieran McKenna said on Friday that if no one offers a suitable fee, then the 30-year-old will remain at the club.

Elsewhere, it’s possible one or two U21s players may move out on loan, while the Blues could add further to John McGreal and Chris Casement’s squad.

Already, deals to bring in Chelsea forward Frankie Runham on loan with a view to a permanent switch and Stevenage’s Ryan Doherty are set to be rubber-stamped before tonight’s deadline.

Photo: Matchday Images

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cressi added 09:49 - Feb 2 Shocking if we don't bring a quality striker in . At least somebody who can trap a ball and bring others into play and chip in with a few goals. Good chance it will cost us
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CaptainAhab added 09:50 - Feb 2 Ho hum
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blueoutlook added 09:57 - Feb 2

I’m not sure what our recruitment team do all year,because we never seem to have much idea when it comes to strikers. It’s been the same even when we brought in Delap, we needed another yet failed dismally. What’s happening with this fancy database , it must be up and running now,Ashton has been talking about it for 4 and a half years now ?! There must be strikers out in Europe or further afield that fit the bill? Kieran only ever obsesses over number 10s. And they can’t even find a decent one them it doesn’t seem.
Utterly incomprehensible if we do not see a number 9 by close of play tonight.

bluesince76 added 10:04 - Feb 2 Theres got to be a quality striker signed today hirst azon akpom wont get us in top 2.
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Bazza8564 added 10:07 - Feb 2

I will be surprised and very disappointed if we done sign a 9, not least because ITFC in a promotion push towards the PL should be an attractive proposition for a player, and we clearly have the money.

Equally, if you can't secure a deal for a priority target, it's pointless just signing someone for the sake of it.

Ill be keenly looking all day, I don't think we will get any clues until it's in the bag though....

benfromkent added 10:07 - Feb 2

As much as I’m firmly in the 'we need a striker' camp, I was thinking over the weekend that there have been a few occasions in recent years where we’ve brought in proven, high-scoring forwards who haven’t replicated that form for us.

Happy to be corrected, but Piggott and Ali Al-Hamadi both arrived having been pretty prolific, yet neither really delivered here. Akpom and Szmodics might also fit that pattern based on their stats in previous seasons.

It makes me wonder whether there’s an element of pot luck with strikers? It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, but there’s no denying that Azon, Hirst, and even Akpom (although he's not play as a regular number 9) simply aren’t doing the business at the moment. Maybe it something behind the scenes and we just break potentially decent strikers somehow?

PhilsAngels added 10:08 - Feb 2 Phil, I don't want nots, I want yeses. No wonder we are all so negative. Good news stories only please. Only joking it is what it is and we will all have to wait patiently and see what today brings. coyb
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Stato added 10:10 - Feb 2

QUALITY number 9 not another benchwarmer. How are any of these guys ever going to play themselves into form if the number 9 slot is split 3 ways when splitting it 2 ways has already backfired on us. We need a number 9 who KM rates as highly as he does O'Shea and Matusiwa and therefore he starts every game just like they do. That cliche spine of the team has been a winning formula for so many successful teams

blues1 added 10:11 - Feb 2

Blueiutlook. Talking bs as always. Clearly you know nothing about recruitment. Every team wants a striker in January. But tgeres not that many who ditched Bill for wjat we want. We've already tried for Wilson, whos now staying at W.Ham, Bamford, whos staying at sheff utd and Piroe, who doesnt want to drop into the champiomship . Ans sure we've looked elsewhere too. Fact remains tho, that we dont desperately need a striker. We are, after all, the 2nd top scorers in the lge.

dirtydingusmagee added 10:13 - Feb 2 Need a striker and needs to be used as one We need to have a plan B which should not just sub players like for like and carry on as usual we need to change formations too at times when things arent working .
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jas0999 added 10:17 - Feb 2 If we don’t bring in a striker - after pretty much knowing Delap would move on around a year ago - would be incompetent and a complete failure on behalf of MA and KM. it will also seriously hinder our automatic promotion chances - which remains the only acceptable outcome this season.
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jas0999 added 10:17 - Feb 2 Also, why sell Sammie to a promotion rival. That could seriously come back to haunt us in the play offs …
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prebbs007 added 10:19 - Feb 2 No striker signed today = bye bye top two. Let’s hope there’s a deal happening that we’re all unaware of (Ashton’s style) PLEASE
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poet added 10:20 - Feb 2 Scandalous, Leicester apparently looking to sign no less than 3 new players in this window. FFP ????
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blueoutlook added 10:26 - Feb 2

blues1. It’s hard to understand what you are saying with that jumbled up mess,but I think you are saying we don’t need one ? Rubbish man, we have needed one for two years and Im not the only one on here saying it. I’m not sure what you watch , our number 9s are just not doing it. You talk about how many goals we score, take Clarke and Jaden out and we are pretty woeful,and they play in the same position!

Jugsy added 10:31 - Feb 2 Everyone saying we need ‘a striker’, who is this fabled striker? No one can put a name to it, someone who fits the way we play, would be willing to come to us, etc. all these demands of striker as if there’s a bunch knocking around. Come on, who can we get?
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Dissboyitfc added 10:31 - Feb 2

Agree with Blues1, blue outlook spouting rubbish as usual! Getting the right player a striker is hard at anytime especially in January. We could I am sure we could sign a bang average striker who is no better than what we have and certainly won’t be what we want moving forward. Good strikers are at a premium and very expensive and the next problem is do they want to drop a division or come to us?

OliveR16 added 10:36 - Feb 2 We often look at the eye-watering cost of signings. However after yesterday and several other performances this season it seems likely to me that NOT bringing in our 'Kieffer Moore' 2026 version is gonna cost £200m (next season and who knows what thereafter). That's a very expensive non-signing.
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Marinersnose added 10:44 - Feb 2

Yes we haven’t got a decent striker but maybe the system needs to change in order to get the best returns from proven goal scorers such as Szmodics Akpom and Egeli. It is clear that our preferred system relies on inverted wingers who are not providing the same kind of service. Mehmeti is definitely a creative player but we are also missing Philogene big time. I’m not sure we’ll see a new striker through the door

Thegeniusofmuhren added 10:55 - Feb 2

Nearly every other team in Championship has 1, if not 2 recognised forwards who know where the goal is. We have wingers who can score but most teams have worked this out and can defend as Preston did. We have no goals in Midfield and am completely dumbstruck by our ability to identify targets for this position. We have money and are a massive prospect. Failure to win promotion this year and that prospect has gone.
I will always support Ipswich but I'm really miffed by this. Surely we could buy a rival forward as a short term fix!?

Gforce added 10:55 - Feb 2 Szmodics plus 10 million for Agyemang ,job done ! Oh I wish it was that easy !
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bluesnightorg added 10:59 - Feb 2 Nice one Phil’s Angels, that’s almost Shakespeare. “Out on you, owls! nothing but songs of death? (He striketh him) Take that, until thou bring me better news.” (Richard III Act 4, Scene 4.)
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oioihardy added 11:03 - Feb 2 If we dont get a st that is a fail on the club . Massive fail . First of the new style ipswich in the take over
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BerksBlue15 added 11:06 - Feb 2 Adam Armstrong on his way to Wolves for £7m (BBC) - given they'll likely be coming down he might consider a Championship move, rather than Prem but then get relegated in the summer. Wonder if this is one Ashton might be trying to hijack behind the scenes? Proven goalscorer at this level...
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HopefulBlue69 added 11:14 - Feb 2

I've said before on here but why have we not been interested in Armstrong from Southampton! He looks like a Liam Delap type to me or could certainly fit that position if given a bit of time to settle in.... Let's face it, Hurst, Akpom etc have had all season to settle in (they clearly haven't delivered) so we should have been ready on 1st day of transfer window to bid for new players...It looks like he's going to Wolves now to play relegation football so I'm sure we could have tempted him for 15M at the start... We dick about all window trying to get the price down on players then panic on the last day and over spend...