Ipswich Town move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja still not dead, reveals boss Kieran Mckenna but refuses to comment on Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has revealed a move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja is still alive on transfer deadline day, though any incomings are looking ‘less likely than likely’. He refused to comment on interest in Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of hosting Fulham at Portman Road tomorrow (3pm), the Town boss suggested reports that the Broja deal was off due to the medical report on the Albanian international’s Achilles injury – broken by The Athletic yesterday – were wide of the mark.

But while he said ‘discussions are ongoing’ it would ‘have to be right for all parties’.

It is expected that Broja’s injury will rule him out for around six weeks, should he complete a loan move to Portman Road, which is around the same time period that George Hirst – whose absence following knee surgery the club had been looking to cover – is also sidelined for.

Asked how confident he is that another stirker – which would be a 13th summer signing – will happen today, McKenna said: “I think it's less likely than likely at the moment. It's not impossible.

“It's a position that we've looked at to strengthen, to be deep and strong in that area and also because we have some injuries in the forward line.

“The club are continuing to work hard, as we said we would do, right to the last bit of the

window. And if there's the right opportunity for the right player that improves us, then

we'll look to do it.

“If it's not possible, then we'll progress with the squad that we have, which we have a lot of faith in, in all the players we have in the squad and the players we have in those areas as well.”

Asked specifically about the status of a move for Broja, whose loan arrival it has been reported would trigger an obligation to make a permanent £30 million transfer should they achieve Premier League survival, McKenna said: “My focus has been on getting ready for Fulham, to be honest. I’ve just come in from training for that.

“There’s been discussions with Armando, that’s not a secret. It’s not a secret that he has an injury issue.

“I think the clubs are ongoing with those discussions and it has to be the right thing for all parties.

“It has to be the right thing for us that he can come and have a positive impact at a point in the season.

“(And) the right thing for Armando, of course, which is a very important moment for his young career and the right decision for Chelsea.

“Those parties are continuing to discuss while I’m focusing on Fulham.

“We’ll see what’s right and hopefully the best resolution will be found by this evening.”

Asked about the reported interest in Ivory Coast international Latte Lath, who has three years of his contract at Middlesbrough remaining after scoring 18 Championship goals in his first campaign since joining from Italian outfit Atalanta, he replied: “I never speak on any players. The Armando situation may be a little bit different. Obviously, he’s not with Chelsea’s first team squad at the moment.

“But any player who’s active with another team, we’ll never mention their names.”

Asked to reflect on how their transfer window – which has seen 12 players join so far for reported fees thought to take the club’s spending past the £100 million mark – has gone since promotion from the Championship, McKenna said: “We’ve done some really good business. We knew it was a big, big window for us. It always is for a newly promoted team.

“For a team coming from our position, the trajectory that we’ve had as a football club, everyone was of the same mindset that it was really important to strengthen the squad as much as we could to try and give ourselves a chance to be competitive in the division.

“The owners have fully supported that.

“We’ve tried to improve as much as we could while sticking to the model that’s served us well in terms of the type of players that we’re bringing in, in general, as we have over the last few years.

“We’re spending significant fees trying to do it on players who can develop with a football club and maybe aren’t at their full potential yet.

“We’ve done that with a couple of really good additions who are fantastic players to have with a football club.

“We’ve also tried to have a balance throughout the squad and bring in some players who are maybe closer to their peak and can help us in the now.

“Predominantly, maybe the most important thing is we’ve stuck really clearly to bringing in good characters and bringing in people who we think are going to fit the culture, add to the culture. I’m really, really certain that we’ve managed to do that.”

He added: “It’s been a really challenging window. I have to say it’s been challenging for everyone.

“Everyone involved has worked very, very hard to improve the squad.

“I think we’ve got it to a good position. Of course, not everything goes your way in a transfer window, especially when you’re in a position like we are. But I’d say from ownership right down to everyone involved in the process, everyone’s fully committed and worked really, really hard to give us the squad that gives us a chance to be competitive this year.”