Overview

• Chuba Akpom underwent a medical at St Andrew’s as Birmingham finalise their season-long loan from Ajax, which includes a mandatory £7m purchase clause if they earn promotion.
• Ipswich Town lodged a last-minute approach matching Birmingham’s loan structure but were unable to displace the Blues as frontrunners.
• Middlesbrough’s effort to re-sign the 2022/23 Championship Golden Boot winner collapsed after they refused to meet Ajax’s revised wage demands.
• Ajax, keen to reduce their wage bill, are reportedly open to converting the loan agreement into a permanent sale rather than risk a conditional buy option.
• Akpom, 29, returns to the Championship seeking regular first-team football after limited opportunities at Ajax and a loan spell at Lille.