Not sure if it was manager wanting him (they loaned him out remember) or just them not daring to let him go permanently due to embargo in case they needed him.
That's my recollection too - they were happy to sell him until one of their players got injured/sold/recalled and then they decided to keep him for the time being.
i thought it was £150,000 we put in for him and humming and rrrring then all of a sudden he signed an 18month contract and came on loan to us.
We were going to sign him and they accepted our bid but because they had a transfer embargo they couldn't sell him.