Boss Joe Royle says that on-form Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi is going nowhere, despite making him available on a free transfer during the summer. South Korean club Daewoo Royals and German side Hansa Rostock both came in for the frontman but the former Sheffield Wednesday player decided to remain at Portman Road.

Royle says that he won't be allowing the powerhouse striker to leave now he has hit form: "Shefki's going nowhere and it wasn't a case of me trying to get rid of him earlier this year.

"There was someone else I could have got to replace him and the information I was getting from Shefki's side, through his agent, was that he would have welcomed a move.

"I think the world of him and there's no doubt he has done well for us recently. But he had a poor finish to last season and he hadn't gone well in pre-season, and I was led to believe he wouldn't mind moving on."

This season, however, the Kosovo-born player has gone from strength to strength and is the Blues' top scorer on eight goals as well as hitting two for Finland in their recent World Cup qualifier with Armenia.

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