Queens Park Rangers are battling Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers to sign Andre Dozzell from Ipswich Town, as reported by TWTD.
The Tractor Boys managed to keep hold of Flynn Downes, Luke Woolfenden and Elkan Baggott despite interest from the likes of Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Leeds.
But if Ipswich fans were hoping to avoid another transfer saga regarding the future of an exciting academy graduate, it seems they will be disappointed.
Because, according to reports from East Anglia, Championship duo QPR and Blackburn are interested in Dozzell, an Ipswich-born 21-year-old with an impressive 47 caps for England at youth level.
The tough-tackling defensive midfielder has been a rare bright spark in another miserable season at Portman Road.
Although the League One giants hold all the cards – given that Dozzell is under contract until 2024 – who could really blame the local-lad-made-good if he comes to the conclusion that his development would be aided by escaping the atmosphere hanging in the Ipswich air?
TWTD claim that Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray was due to attend Ipswich’s third-tier clash with Shrewsbury recently. His hopes of watching Dozzell in the flesh were ruined, however, by a frozen pitch which postponed the fixture.
“If it’s a Premier League club (interested in Dozzell), it will be for a hell of a lot of money,” the much-maligned Lambert once told The Pink ‘Un when asked about the midfielder’s future.
“Dozzell’s been playing really well but if a Premier League club comes knocking then it would have to be a hell of a lot of money.
“You would have to spend a lot of money.”
Be warned QPR and Blackburn; Dozzell will cost a lot. Lambert really couldn’t have made that clearer.
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