Town are reported to have had a £1 million bid for Barnsley forward Marley Watkins turned down.

According to Sky Sports News, the Tykes have rejected the Blues’ offer for the 25-year-old, who came on as a sub and scored and claimed an assist in Town’s 4-2 opening day win over the South Yorkshiremen at Portman Road.

Lewisham-born Watkins was brought up in Swansea and joined the youth set-up at his hometown club.

Watkins, who is 6ft 1in tall, moved on before making a senior appearance and broke into first-team football with Cheltenham before joining Bath City, initially on loan, and then Hereford United in 2012.

A year later he moved on to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he scored the opening goal in the 2-1 2015 Scottish Cup final win against Falkirk, before signing for Barnsley in the summer of 2015.

Watkins, whose grandfather was famous Welsh poet Vernon Watkins, who was close friends with Dylan Thomas, has another year left on his contract at Oakwell, where he has made 44 starts and four sub appearances, scoring nine goals.

Primarily a right-sided midfielder for much of his career, Watkins can also operate as a centre forward - where he is currently playing for Barnsley and where he previously impressed for Caley Thistle - and may well be viewed as someone who can play in that role with the Blues looking for a replacement for Daryl Murphy, who moved onto Newcastle at the weekend.

Watkins has previously been named on standby for Wales but without making it into a squad.

Town target Lukas Jutkiewicz's proposed move to Birmingham from Burnley, as reported earlier this evening, is believed to be a loan deal.

Photo: Action Images

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:23 - Aug 31 We ain't got much time for protracted negotiations. This will be interesting but may end in failure.
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Disco_Inferno added 08:25 - Aug 31 Just been looking at the Barnsley board and they really rate him and are pretty insulted by the offer. The consensus is that they don't need to sell and they are confident they wouldn't sell for even double this. On a different note what are Newcastle doing loaning Armstrong out? A 19 year old who hit 20 goals for Coventry last year - surely he would be worth a run out, good coup for Barnsley, sets the pulse racing a bit more than Lawrence's loan!

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gosblue added 08:31 - Aug 31 MM full of surprises. Barnsley aren't desperate for money as they've just got £7m sell on from the John Stones deal. I bet their whole squad are knocking on the door for a pay rise. It may have been the player that said no to a move. If so, we move on to the next target.
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bluearmy78 added 08:41 - Aug 31 Sources are saying that Town will not pursue Watkins, but there will be a new striker joining the club. Should be an interesting day. COYB!!
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Edmundo added 10:00 - Aug 31 A long day ahead: this deal still has legs imo. Looking exciting!!
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BroskiBeen added 10:26 - Aug 31 Decent player in the lower leagues, did well in Scotland too, a lot of Welsh fans have been crying for him to get a chance I the Wales squad for a while, with him getting a bit older now he has ability to be very good at this level at least
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Bergholtblue added 14:42 - Aug 31 6' 1" in his heels. 5' 8" with just his socks on.
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