Town will not be adding any loanees to their squad until after the West Brom game a week on Saturday. The Blues are known to be considering taking a central defender from a Premiership club on a short-term basis.

Town are not confirming the identity of the player they are after, but the move may stall due to the Premiership club wanting their player to be involved in the first team regularly, something which looks unlikely with Jason De Vos and Alex Bruce established as the Blues' central pairing.

Wigan's Fitz Hall was reported to be the man Town are targeting yesterday, but the Blues have denied any interest in the former Oldham, Southampton and Crystal Palace player.

Aston Villa youngster Stephen O'Halloran has also been mentioned and seems a more likely proposition.

Fabian Wilnis will be back from his three-match suspension after the West Brom game, while youngster Tommy Smith has returned from the FIFA U17 World Cup in South Korea, so the need for defensive cover is diminishing.

Town have no new injury worries after Saturday's defeat at Watford with Alan Lee returning to training earlier in the week after limping off at Vicarage Road with a hamstring problem. The Irishman is expected to be fine to start at the Hawthorns.

The squad have been given two days off, while Billy Clarke and Owen Garvan (along with O'Halloran) are with the Republic of Ireland ahead of their UEFA U21 Championship qualifier against Portugal in Cork on Friday (Sky Sports Three, 7.30pm). Chris Casement is with the Northern Ireland squad for their U21 Championship game with Germany in Lurgan the same night.

Meanwhile, Brighton and Hove Albion are reported to have put a loan move for Dean Bowditch on the back burner due to the striker's continuing groin problems.

Get the fastest and most comprehensive Ipswich Town news service at ipswichtown.footballlatest.co.uk.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls