Town have confirmed the signing of Leicester City striker Chris Wood on loan for the rest of the season with the Foxes able to recall him at 24 hours' notice after the first 28 days.

The 23-year-old, who has been handed the number 39 shirt and trained with the squad this morning ahead of Sunday's derby at Norwich, had been linked with the Blues since early last month with Wolves and Reading both having shown interest in the last few days, while AFC Bournemouth and Sheffield Wednesday were previously understood to have been keen to add him to their squads for the run-in.

Wood, Tommy Smith’s room-mate when they are on international duty with New Zealand, hasn't started for the Foxes since their promotion to the Premier League, having scored eight goals last season, four in the Championship, four in the Capital One Cup.

Born in Auckland, Wood started his British career with West Brom, spending time out on loan with Barnsley, Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol City, Millwall and Leicester before joining the Foxes permanently for £2 million in January 2013.

Wood's last senior action was a 30-minute sub appearance in the 1-0 FA Cup win over Newcastle on January 3rd and the 6ft 2in tall frontman returned to training after an ankle injury earlier in the week.

Town boss Mick McCarthy has been keen to add another striker to his squad with Noel Hunt probably out for the season with a knee injury, while David McGoldrick has missed the last four matches with a thigh problem.

The Blues also struggled when without target man Daryl Murphy in the recent game against Wigan.

Photo: Action Images

itfc1981 added 12:46 - Feb 27 Get at them lad!
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runaround added 12:58 - Feb 27 Welcome Chris. I hope you have a successful time at ITFC starting Sunday! I also hope people work out that your surname is not Woods!!
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dommy_g01 added 13:09 - Feb 27 Am I the only one who read that he scored 8 goals last season in the year leicester won the league, and he hasnt played in the prem...i agree thats its a good signing for experience, but his not exactly a prolific goalscorer...
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runningout added 13:13 - Feb 27 Agree with 'Bluesince84' eintirely
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StowTractorBoy added 13:27 - Feb 27 It will take Wood a little time to get up to speed as he has had little high profile match time. Think he will be on the bench on Sunday and we will play a 4-4-2 system which in my opinion Mick has to do with the likes of Redmond on the flanks. You do wonder if McGoldricks injury is long term and I recall on the forum recently it was stated by a poster that he had torn a leg muscle. Hopefully he will be back soon as he is a class player.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 13:27 - Feb 27 hooray
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blueconscience added 13:41 - Feb 27 Hopefully he will be able to tell Knockaert what an idiot he was for turning the move down (if that was what happened).
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warktheline added 13:44 - Feb 27 Typical McCarthy signing.....bang, read all about it! Very good management after the Frenchman declined. That's 3 added now, all with know how, and experience at this level and above, should assist with our tough run in.
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roytheboy added 13:52 - Feb 27 Brilliant news, I hope Mick will play Daryl, Freddie and Chris; together, that could be an awesome trio.
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Kikapu added 13:58 - Feb 27 Don't get too excited about him playing on Sunday. He's only just returned to training after and ankle injury.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:26 - Feb 27 This is good. Don't get me wrong, but 1. from Leicester's point of view this is probably a way of getting him back to full fitness, with a call-back when he looks as if he's getting there and if Leicester are in deep trouble right at the end, and 2. he won't start on Sunday, unfortunately. Still hope he might do us a bit of good in the interim, however. Let's face it: any loan deal that is any good is likely to have strings attached.

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DurhamTownFan added 14:28 - Feb 27 Have to say I'm pleasantly surprised at this, given that we recently signed Varney, but personally I couldn't care less whether Varney gets a game from now on. I'm sure he'll feature as cover (especially if McG's injury is worse that MM is letting on) but for me Wood must only have come if he was promised regular football. Wood + Murphy is a useful battering ram partnership!

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blueherts added 14:30 - Feb 27 When Jonny W is fit he will be coming
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TrumptonBlue added 14:34 - Feb 27 That's 21 potential first-team signings since the end of last season. McCarthy's certainly not shy in the transfer market, is he, even if he can't spend big?
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tractorgrl added 15:12 - Feb 27 Didz might find it a bit difficult to get back in when he's fit again, who would have thought that at the beginning of the season?
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TimmyH added 15:18 - Feb 27 Good signing...BUT as mentioned we're generally going to play and have been playing of late with 2 strikers up front in the 442, when McG is fit who'll be warming up the bench? him? Sears? (who doesn't deserve to be) or Wood? Far more importance to me is midfield - still need a central creative player and quality out on the wing!
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NoelTheDub added 15:59 - Feb 27 Yes Woods is a decent player but what will Mick do is the big question.We have 5 strikers ok 2 out injured.Where is our creative midfielder to cover for young Bishop and will we see Tabb and Anderson start.Lets see our new signings on the pitch and not rotting on the bench.Love to see 443 with Parr,Chaplow,and Varney getting a start go for it Mick and dont play safe.Start on the front foot it suits us better.

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jas0999 added 16:48 - Feb 27 Great signing. Now for a winger! Still not sure why we signed Varney. Doesn't look like he will get much if any game time.
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warktheline added 16:49 - Feb 27 At least we have bodies in. Who plays and who doesn't is the managers problem. Likewise formation.....agree another creative midfield player would be idea, but that said, we do have Bru, but not all team use an out and out winger. Its great to has an assortment of strikers, relieves pressure on Murphy, and forces players to compete for places. I believe the last 3 addition will play a big part in remaining games.

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Seasider added 17:10 - Feb 27 This signing is good for Ipswich who more often than not play the long ball,cutting out midfield,and hoping that midfielders can pick up the second ball from knockdowns as mostly these long balls are in the air. Will be interesting to see what Mick does on Sunday;but in his interview it was pretty clear he was going to play 442;but you never know this could be mind games,especially as the new Norwich manager is still new to this level of footy;and Mick is the opposite. Hoping that we show spirit more than we did in the home match,and a bit of' pass and move' football thrown in would be nice;but as this is the Canaries strength in midfield I expect Town will be in their faces and not allow Norwich to settle. Whatever happens,as Chambo said,the main thing is to win.

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warbeat78 added 17:56 - Feb 27 Par chambers berra mings, Skuse chaplow Bru Sears murphy wood
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bohslegend added 18:40 - Feb 27 Sweet jeebus I despair. The amount of negativity on here is a killer. 5 strikers - Yes. 2 of them injured - yes. Why would he put all 3 of the remaining strikers on the pitch at same time? bluesince84 I don't expect us to go "all out attack" because I let the manager decide what the best formation and best tactic is. Simples. Look for negative angles all you want. This is a positive piece of business.

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bluesince84 added 18:47 - Feb 27 Bohlslegend I agree it is a good piece if business but unfortunately as lot of our " good pieces of business" don't start or make cameo appearances . God forbid we dislodge Anderson and tabb, to get dropped from mm team you have to have minimum 15 bad games ! Hope I'm wrong , love mm, but his team selection is his only Achilles heal . If you don't believe me, come back on here at 3.00pm on Sunday when this has been proved

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PJH added 19:17 - Feb 27 I hope Tabb scores our winner from Anderson's cross then bluesince84.
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bluesince84 added 19:27 - Feb 27 Pjh never will I be happier to eat my words
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