TWTD understands that three-times-loanee Daryl Murphy is close to agreeing a two-year permanent deal with the Blues following his release by Celtic.

The 30-year-old spent the whole of 2012/13 on loan at Portman Road, scoring seven goals in 33 starts and seven sub appearances.

Prior to the end of the season manager Mick McCarthy indicated that he’d like Murphy to remain with Town, while the player said he was keen to stay on in Suffolk.

We understand a deal could be agreed as soon as this week with Murphy subsequently formally putting pen to paper on July 1st once his three-year Celtic contract is up.

Capped nine times by Ireland without scoring, striker or left midfielder Murphy made 32 starts and two sub appearances for Town during his another season-long loan during 2011/12, netting four goals.

He was previously with the Blues during the second half of the 2009/10 season when he scored six goals in 18 appearances before moving from Sunderland to Celtic that summer.

While with hometown club Waterford United, Murphy spent several spells on trial at Portman Road during the 2004/05 campaign but eventually opted to join the Premier League Black Cats, then managed by current Town boss Mick McCarthy.

Meanwhile, we understand Blues scouts were regular visitors to Yeovil Town's games towards the end of the season with 23-year-old striker Paddy Madden the reason for the trips.

However, with the Glovers having been promoted to the Championship via the play-offs and the former Bohemians, Shelbourne (loan) and Carlisle man having signed a two-and-a-half-year deal in January, a summer move for the Irish U21 and U23 international seems unlikely.

Photo: Action Images

StuartBrett8 added 21:39 - Jun 1 Good news, no problem with this :)
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BlueMachines added 21:45 - Jun 1 So much more useful when upfront rather than on the wing. Get him some service and he'll be a great addition to the squad!
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RYITFC added 21:51 - Jun 1 I'm happy with this, think it's important to keep the group of players we finished strongly with last season. Hopefully we can do deals with Tabb and Stearman too, then we only really need to add 3 or 4 more.
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RegencyBlue added 21:52 - Jun 1 Good addition to the squad and a player who has shown he WANTS to play for us. Good news!
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SamWhiteUK added 21:53 - Jun 1 This would be a top deal, we've seen what he can do up front with someone pacey like Nouble or someone technical like McGoldrick, bring him in finally!
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manualthetisfanclub added 21:53 - Jun 1 Good to hear,at least he wants to play for us,never about money with him,never had a problem with him here,try's hard and good strong squad player.good deal all round I feel
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Jimmys_Law added 21:55 - Jun 1 Great news. I've always liked Murphy and I think he can be a great squad player for us. He brings a lot to the team, winning headers, bringing others into play an popping up with the odd goal. Absolutely fantastic.
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Lennyboy added 22:01 - Jun 1 Excellent news, much needed height up front and has shown more commitment to us then some of our own.
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nitroblue1970 added 22:07 - Jun 1 will be due a testimonial soon...... good news though!!!
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theresonlyonekeano added 22:14 - Jun 1 Fantastic news! Murphy adds something different when he plays up front. Also very committed player. Pleased to see us sorting things out before pre season starts.
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Kentish_Tractor added 22:15 - Jun 1 If he's going to be on anything up to around the 5k per week mark, that's ok with me. A great squad player who has proven he loves it here and works hard, plus ofers an option. We need more players with Murph's mentality. Anything more money than that and forget it. He's not a goal-scorer, lacks skill and pace, and will not improve. Hope a deal can be done that works for everyone.

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suffolkpunchdrunk added 22:16 - Jun 1 at least on this occasion we can be sure that this is one player who will not contract a bout of Bullarditis (medical term for a former loan player who upon getting a contract loses the ability to play football).
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muccletonjoe added 22:17 - Jun 1 Have to be honest and say I never have liked him , he has proved time and again to be a non scoring striker and I can't really see that changing and him pitching in with a dozen goals all of a sudden next season. But I suppose it saves us getting him in on loan again
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Marcus added 22:26 - Jun 1 A decent player who wants to play for Town. 'nuff said, let me know when the ink has dried.
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hossblue added 22:27 - Jun 1 Up front as a target man there is not many better in this division.Stearman next to put pen to paper please.
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not_a_witty_name added 22:49 - Jun 1 Good, he's an "Ipswich" type of player. Solid, hard-working and honest.
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Dissident17 added 23:06 - Jun 1 To be honest I'm underwhelmed...he's ok and puts in a shift but if our ambition is Premier League (we're up against QPR, Reading, Wigan, Leicester, Watford, Brighton, Blackburn, Leeds etc), I don't think Murphy is the difference maker or quality that puts us ahead in the promotion race. To move forward, its time to be more dynamic with improving the team
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MitchtheITFCman added 23:20 - Jun 1 Decent signing, if we got him on a free. But when is mick going to bring in that young gem that no one has heard of before
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HarryfromBath added 00:02 - Jun 2 Great news. Another piece in the jigsaw falling in to place. I don't think we have seen the best of Daryl Murphy yet. Once Mick gets the midfield properly purring, especially out wide, we could see another dimension to Daryl. Decent, decent player.
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flashblue added 09:05 - Jun 2 Boring player, but I suppose you need some of those.
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midastouch added 09:54 - Jun 2 not over excited. fair play to him in the respect he wants to play for us so he has to be commended for that. however, his strike rate is poor and ultimately that is what any striker has to be judged on. let's be honest and face facts, if it is true that we are looking at a 5k wage policy (which i've heard rumours of but of course rumours can be wide of the mark), why i agree that 5k is plenty enough for any person to live on, that isn't going to be enough to attract the type of players to enable us compete with other clubs at this level. sad but true. now i could be wrong on this 5k wage structure policy, i'm only going on what i've heard on other comments on this board. it does sicken me that 5k a week would be a wage most of us could only dream about, but sadly loyalty and love for a club is a thing of a past. there won't be many more mick stockwell type players, more like marcus bent types that move here there and everywhere in search of the best deal! and it sickens me living here in deep dark norfolk (and being surrounded by gloating scummers, they are paying reserve team players more a week than that!). big mick has done a great job since taking over but he can't work miracles, i'd be surprised if we make the play offs but of course i'd love to be proven wrong. however, if the best we can attract is murphy then i fear i won't be eating humble pie come the end of the season. but i bloody hope i am lol! :-)

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midastouch added 10:03 - Jun 2 he's scoring roughly about 1 goal every 5 games, certainly if you proportionally factor in the minutes on the pitch from his sub appearances as well. i don't know about you but one goal every 5 games doesn't get me over excited. be interesting to know his number of assists as shouldn't overlook those but i've got a feeling the numbers just don't stack up. he's been here for a while now on loan and hasn't exactly set the place on fire so be surprised if he suddenly does next season. however, again if he does sign i pray that he proves me wrong by netting 20 goals!! :-)

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billlm added 10:19 - Jun 2 happy with this he obviously loves it here,great permanent addition to our squad better up front personally
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jas0999 added 10:22 - Jun 2 Like his power and ability to challenge the opposition centre halves. His goal scoring ratio for us is fairly poor though. He'll need to improve in that area if he wants to play regularly as a striker. But his hold up play and ability to support other strikers is probably worth signing him.
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BillBlue added 10:43 - Jun 2 Murph has seemed like an established Town player for so long I almost take this for granted. An excellent signing for our rock solid team of this season. Well done all and very welcome Murph and to your family too who are obviously very important to you.
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