Defender Alex Bruce is not ruling out his loan move to Leicester being made a permanent one in the summer if all goes well. Bruce joined the Foxes on loan until the end of the season last Monday.

The Irish international said: "I am an Ipswich player but we will look at it at the end of the season and, if all goes well, then we will take it from there."

Bruce, 25, says the prospect of a play-off place attracted him to the Walkers Stadium: "The fact City are after promotion was a big temptation to come here because Ipswich aren't doing that well at the minute, although I am sure they will turn it around.

"Now I have the chance to play in a promotion push and every player would want to be involved in that.”

Bruce says he was surprised when he heard of Leicester’s enquiry: "City's interest came a bit out of the blue. I spoke to Roy Keane and he gave me the option, and I just felt the time was right for a change.

"When a club like Leicester City comes knocking it is always an honour. I thought it was the right opportunity.

"When I went to the [Leicester-Newcastle] game the other night it reinforced my thoughts about what it would be like, when I saw the big crowd and imagined the big games. They are chasing promotion as well and everything as a whole seemed right.

"I spoke to the manager [Nigel Pearson] after the game and it just felt right. I am now looking forward to the challenge.”

Bruce is contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2011, having signed a new deal last summer.

Photo: Action Images

JammyDodgerrr added 10:27 - Feb 5 Don't think after saying that he'll be coming back anyway.
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Blue_Balls added 10:36 - Feb 5 Excellent news.
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PablosRightBoot added 10:39 - Feb 5 Good, cheerio Alex. If your football career falls flat for you being a donkey, at least you have a bright modelling career ahead of you haha
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Blueknight85 added 10:48 - Feb 5 i think he would be pelted with rotten fruit if he does come back after that. 2nd rate championship defender anyway look forward to winning the league without him next year whilst thuping leiscter twice
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BlueysNosebag added 10:55 - Feb 5 As expected the usual stupid comments. Bruce has done a good job for Town. We all want to do the best we can in our careers. All he is saying that he's excited about playing in a team pushing for a Play Off place that could lead to promotion to the Premier League. Got to be better than one trying to avoid relegation to League 1.
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JayITFC added 10:58 - Feb 5 What on earth are you guys on about? What exactly has he said that's so bad? "The fact City are after promotion was a big temptation to come here because Ipswich aren't doing that well at the minute, although I am sure they will turn it around." Bruce has ALWAYS given 100% for this club when others REALLY weren't. He's not getting a game and has to do what's in his best interests.

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Blueknight85 added 11:32 - Feb 5 what hes saying is the equivelant of of dumping ya Mrs for somone hotter because your Mrs has put on a bit of xmas weight. and hes been a good servent but a kak player and took libertys at the same time insisting hes ok to play on a fecked leg against newcastle for example
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:50 - Feb 5 sounds like '' f'' this, im off in a lifeboat !. He went there on loan,he need not have said anything , cant seeing him coming back now, whichever camp you are in , its a sort of rats and sinking ships statement .
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keebs_itfc added 11:54 - Feb 5 dunno wat u lot are talkin bout, bruce has been excellent at times and always put in a shift! although it does seem like hes jumping ship
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 11:59 - Feb 5 ok you guys need to lighten up a bit...he hasnt said anything derogatory bout town, hes simply said that leicester are doing better and he would like to be involved in a promotion push....thats hardly unfair, geez, he always put in 110% for us, give the guy a break
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europeantour added 12:01 - Feb 5 Good news, we should have got rid last season when he would not sign the offered contract. Hopefully free up some space and wages to get some quality in
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Mark added 12:06 - Feb 5 I don't think Bruce said anything particularly wrong, although "When a club like Leicester City comes knocking it is always an honour." was a bit over the top, Leicester are not Barcelona! :-D
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JammyDodgerrr added 12:23 - Feb 5 Just because he always gives 110% means he is actually good does it?
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bluetoba added 12:52 - Feb 5 To quote RK from the story:- Keane: Priskin will benefit from the move. "Damien and Gareth have done reasonably well and Alex felt he needed a run of games at Leicester and he will get that and come back a better player.He's still learning his trade". He's 25 and still learning his trade?..I think this says it all. I think RK is just being polite so not to Steve Bruce. It's probably the last we see of him. RK....Respect.

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bluetoba added 12:54 - Feb 5 Sorry..Not to Upset Steve Bruce.
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GenericIpswichMan added 12:56 - Feb 5 Shame if he does go really. Cant blame Bruce for wanting to get first team football (which he isn't going to get here unless we get an injury)
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byebyesheepshanks added 13:01 - Feb 5 He gets booked every game anyway - got no chance in the pacey premiership!
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SouperJim added 13:15 - Feb 5 So Alex Bruce is a complete mercenary, shock horror. I would have thought that was obvious by the way he behaved trying to manipulate the press and the fans when he wanted a new contract from Magilton. The guy is an average champ defender and an absolute tool. He tries hard when he gets in so is useful to have in the squad (although the reason he makes lots of last ditch tackles, that the fans who can't see beyond their noses cheer, is his positional sense is poor), but I won't shed a tear if he doesn't come back.

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ozzy_itfc added 13:29 - Feb 5 hes only said this because if ipswich stay down the bottom of the table this season and leicester end up going up it means he would be a prem player, but if leicester stay down then he'll come back to us because he'll expect us to do well next season!
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reusersfreekicks added 13:56 - Feb 5 Maybe keane should have let him go at the start of the season after all? It will be interesting to see if Nigel Pearson can improve Bruce's performances as at the moment he is not good enough to play regularly for a good championship team. Ironic to think back at all the stick Magilton got for supposedly offering him an unfavourable contract! My only concern is that we are now a bit short of central defenders with only Balkenstein at Portman rd and I would have preferred Bruce or Smith to come in ahead of him.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 13:59 - Feb 5 Good luck to the boy, I hope he is back with us next season; he will be playing for a team above us in the league rather than in the 3rd division which indicates to me that he is better than our other 'covers' should Delanney or McAuley get injured. I suspect it was a matter of getting him off the wage bill so we could get a loan forward in.
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edd16 added 14:05 - Feb 5 great news bruce is a quality player
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cbower added 14:08 - Feb 5 Bruce has never given less than 100% for us. What he lacks in class is clear for all to see but you cannot doubt his commitment. I do not blame him for taking the loan option and much of what he has said is fact. Leicester are pushing for the play offs and we are three points of the relegation places. For god's sake, wish the boy well, welcome him back if that's what happens and stop all the bitterness. Anyway, if he is sold at the end of the season, I expect it will be for around £500,000 and that would help us sign someone better.....maybe

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WREXHAM_BLUE added 14:10 - Feb 5 Geez, give the lad a break! He's a 100 percenter AND a decent player and currently not in the first eleven. I don't agree with his slightly over the top comments about the stature of Leicester but he's probably trying to make an impression with their fans too; just as we'd expect from a player coming here. Hope he does well there and comes back to us ready for next season. Good luck Alex. I'm sure we'll finish higher than Leicester this season though!!

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TractorRoyNo1 added 14:11 - Feb 5 With supporters like this who needs opponents. I seem to remember people saying similar things about Wayne Brown many years ago when we kept BamBam, Brown is still playing and at a higher standard than we are. "SouperJim added 13:15 - Feb 5 The guy is an average champ defender and an absolute tool."
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