Blues striker Daryl Murphy is flattered to be the subject of transfer speculation but says he knows nothing of any interest.

Murphy, who scored 27 Championship goals as the Blues made the play-offs for the first time in a decade, was linked with then-Premier League Hull City in January, while Cardiff City are claimed to be targeting him this summer.

Speaking from the Republic of Ireland camp where the 32-year-old was launching the 2015 Irish Football National Draw alongside his Town team-mate David McGoldrick, he told the Irish Herald: "Of course it is at my age, to be linked with moves like that because it means I must be doing something right.

"I haven't heard anything. The gaffer just said to me to 'Enjoy your break' and wished me all the best when I joined up with the Irish squad.

"I think next year Ipswich need to make signings because we need more players and hopefully they give the gaffer money to do that.”

Murphy, who is contracted to the Blues for another year with the club having an option for a further season, has said on a number of occasions that he has no plans to leave Portman Road with his family settled in Suffolk. Manager Mick McCarthy and owner Marcus Evans have also said they are determined to keep hold of the Blues' top players.

His fellow Waterford men Noel and Stephen Hunt are yet to be offered new deals by Town boss McCarthy but Murphy isn’t ruling them out still being with the Blues when the squad reassembles for pre-season training at the end of the month.

“The gaffer doesn’t know what budget he has for next year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the lads again,” he continued. “They’re great lads to have around, and if they don’t come back then they will be sorely missed.”

Having been the top scorer in English football during 2014/15, Murphy is hoping to add to his 14 caps - and score his first international goal - when, following a behind-closed-doors friendly against Northern Ireland on Thursday, Ireland face England in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday and Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier at the same venue on the following Saturday.

He says he’s not sure whether he could have done too much more to impress manager Martin O’Neill during the season.

“I don’t think so, no,” he added. “But the manager has his own ideas about what he wants to do. I tried all season to just keep doing what I was doing and the gaffer would have seen that but he has his own mind to make up on who is going to play, so we’ll see what happens.

“Am I frustrated? No, because I was delighted to get back in the squad after being out so long. As I said before, getting the call-up gave me that bit more confidence and that’s probably why I got that many goals this season as well.”

He admits that such a promising campaign ending in the play-off semi-final defeat to Norwich was frustrating: “Yeah, I wouldn’t have been good to be around for my missus and kids for a few days afterwards but they understood.

“Listen, it was a massive game for us and the way we lost it was obviously a disappointment but I’ve put it out of my mind now because it’s all about focusing on these games with Ireland.

“The England game is good because it obviously gets us prepared. A lot of the lads were finished at the start of May so it will help get their fitness up. And it’ll be a tough game because of the quality they have in their team.”

McGoldrick, who could face his former Southampton team-mates Adam Lallana, Theo Walcott and Ryan Bertrand if he wins his second Ireland cap in the England game, made his return to Town action as a sub in the second leg of the play-offs after his lengthy absence due to a thigh injury and says he’s feeling good.

"In terms of sharpness, you won't know until you get out there and in a position to test that," he said. "But I feel good in training and now ready to kick on.

"I missed the squad before for the last game when my thigh wasn't ready. Obviously I hadn't played much in three months now so it's good to involved with the lads and getting going again.

"Like I said the last time, when I was in for the games against Scotland and the USA, these are the games you want to play in. It's a big match, it's good to train when you're here but I can do something and I'll give it my best shot.

"There are some top strikers, top players in the squad here so I'll work hard and if I catch the gaffer's eye, I might get a chance. If not, I've got two good weeks' training.”

The 27-year-old admits that being sidelined during the final few months of Town’s Championship promotion push was frustrating and praised his Blues strike partner for his excellent campaign.

"Yeah, it was a tough time,” he added. “Obviously missing out on the lead-up to the play-offs, you want to be involved, that's what you're working for all season.

"Daryl was on fire, he was the Championship Player of the Year for me, even if they didn't give it to him. He was so important to our season, scoring goals and assists."

Photo: Action Images

Solly added 09:59 - Jun 2 "I think next year Ipswich need to make signings because we need more players and hopefully they give the gaffer money to do that.” A slightly worrying quote. Murph was one of our stars I was sure wouldn't be going anywhere because of his age, but reading this, I'm not so sure.
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cooper4england added 10:17 - Jun 2 Agree Solly. Hopefully its a message Evans is getting. Don't rhunk we need millions as MM is astute enough but some extra quality is needed. Exciting signing will put more bums on seats. Speaking of bums on seats is Given taking a dump in the photo?!
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Razor added 10:20 - Jun 2 If somebody offered silly money, £5m plus, sale would have to be considered. Dont think any of the other boys will be coming back, howewver nice they are to be around-this not a social club, we want promotion. Oh and tell Tabby how many sugars in the teas and I think he will then be off to play regular football elsewhere, because if nothing else I do believe he is a genuine honest fellow and will not be content to just sit out and take the money.

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Paulblue62 added 10:41 - Jun 2 As long as he only finds it flattering and nothing else.
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itsonlyme added 10:42 - Jun 2 SOLLY - they were my thoughts exactly when I read the piece. It is interesting that our leading scorer has come out and said that we need more signings, especially as any potential new signings could, in theory, take his place? You would have to say currently we need around ten new signings to bolster the team, but will that happen?
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Wallingford_Boy added 11:36 - Jun 2 Ipswich need to or WE need to Murph?
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Beattiesballbag added 11:37 - Jun 2 "The gaffer doesn't know what budget he has for next year" Really! No plans to make any signings in the near future then!
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marco007 added 11:44 - Jun 2 We need to make changes in order to strengthen and freshen up our squad and Murph's is essential with the way that we play...........hoofball, feeding the corners, high pressure and hard work. I am concerned about how we plan to progress when we rely solely on free transfers with Irish links! You can already see that teams like Bristol City, MK Dons, Preston, Hull, Burnley will add quality to the league and others such as Wolves, Bolton, Blackburn, Forrest will only get stronger along with Bro and Derby. Team spirit and work rate will only get you so far and we lack real quality. What also concerns me is that we have no clearly defined footballing philosophy that runs through the club which means that there is a huge gulf between the way our reserves and first team play. The pre season will be crucial if we are to be anything other than mid table next season.

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mutters added 11:47 - Jun 2 Non story. He answered the question professionally, nothing deeper
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Surco72 added 11:49 - Jun 2 Most could see we needed new signings in January to help the squad especially better quality in the midfield , which is the main reason we faded so badly after Christmas . The club has openly said that money is available two summers in a row so it needs to be spent , we did brilliantly last season but it was a massive overachievement and we will struggle to match that . It would surprise me that MM doesn't know what budget he has to spend next year seeing as other clubs are again already signing players , it worries me that the top players are looking at the club to invest to match their ambition .I know that Dids was told this would happen last year when he was told he could not leave and then nothing happenend

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babyblueboy added 12:10 - Jun 2 Agree with others if an open declaration of intent to spend this summer is not forthcoming then we may lose Murph and possibly others that know investment in quality is needed, as I have stated in previous notes we have hard working players but lack speed and quality and goals from midfield, last season we punched above our weight we cannot hope to get promotion on the pretext of hard work alone we need to keep the core and build in the speed and quality and yes Mr Evens it will cost money !!!!

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radiogaga added 12:12 - Jun 2 itsonlyme - TEN signings??? Seriously?
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jas0999 added 12:20 - Jun 2 Interesting interview. Looks like some of our senior players are concerned with the recent transfer policy and rightly so. Our squad last year was too small.there was little allowance for injuries and suspensions. On several occasions we only had Sears and Murphy as our recognised available strikers. That added pressure to both and to an extent meant both were occasionally tired but couldn't be replaced due to no options. It's remarkable we finished sixth with that approach and testament to the manager and players. But it's unacceptable and needs to be addressed by Evans. We had an excellent chance of promotion and I still think with a couple of extra quality signings in January, we would be in the PL. As it was we only scrapped a play off place. Much work to do. But I can't see our better players hanging around without new investment. They will know we need quality to move forward further next season. Evans over to you.

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jas0999 added 12:21 - Jun 2 Radiogaga - we need to replace ALL who leave plus add a couple of additions. Squad too small last season, let alone not replacing those who have gone. We were seriously short of numbers.
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Miles added 13:21 - Jun 2 2 full backs, 2 out and out wide players an extra forward adding in the introduction of benyu, Connelly and McDonnell and that's enough for me
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itsonlyme added 13:46 - Jun 2 Radiogaga - yep at least ten although some may come from the youngsters! My concern has been for quite a while that we are seriously short of numbers! I guess our philosophy is smaller squad on higher wages but quality and numbers are in short supply!
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radiogaga added 13:59 - Jun 2 itsonlyme - Aha including the youngsters, I get that. Hopefully get another one of the Bishop mould come through to push the current squad. Realistically, we need a right back (which will bolster centre half options as Chambers can revert to centre back with Berra, meaning we no longer have 2 left footed centre halfs), more quality out wide, and a good midfielder that will add goals to the team/ assist Skuse etc, and probably an extra striker to push the main 3. Then the emergence of a few of the youngsters hopefully. Would take Murphy's comments about signing players and MM's budget with a huge pinch of salt. I'm sure work is well under way to get new players in but unlikely to happen until end of June when contracts expire etc.

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Mr_Evans added 15:06 - Jun 2 10 new signings!? Some of these comments on here absolutely baffle me. Bringing in 10 new players would be detrimental to our squad. You don't go out and try to buy a new team, you try and build with what you already have. We currently have a good core of players with reasonable quality to finish midtable. I think 3/4 signings is just about what we need; we currently have a good keeper and a fairly solid back four - I think MM will address the defensive problems and bring in an experienced head either at RB (then moving Chambers back to CB) or ig he insists on playing Chambers at RB then he'll sign abother CB to replace Smith. At CM were fairly well covered with Bishop, Bru & Skuse competing for a starting 11 spot, which leaves players like Tabb & Hyam as cover. It'd be interesting to see how MM wants to play next year, when we play 442 or more of a 4132 we lack width. But if MM wants to play a front two of Sears & Murphy with McGoldrick in behind then width is a luxury we can't afford because he'd have to play a narrow midfield as we will always play with a midfielder playing just ahead of the back four. We have a likes of Conneley & McDonell coming through who could potentially play a wide midfield role, as well as Parr who MM likes to play there. I can see us signing possibly signing a right midfielder, but not an out and out wide player, a back up striker and a cover full back that can play both sides. Bart New RB - Chambo - Berra - Mings Skuse New MF - Bishop McGoldrick Sears - Murphy

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MattinLondon added 15:29 - Jun 2 In terms of the story itself I think that Murphy is just answering the question in a professional manner. Clearly stating that he thinks that we need new players, that he is happy but that is nice to be linked with other clubs. If none of our players were linked with other clubs it means that they are not that good. In terms of players coming in I don't think that we will see a lot of new additions. From the Academy I think that MM will look towards McDonnell, Conneley, Kenyu, Hammond and Matt Clarke to push on. Henshall and Stewart will hopefully show some class as well — and let's face it if those two come good then it'll be like two new signings. Personally what I think we need is a central defender who can actually bring the ball out of defence and to link up with the midfield. If this happens then we don't really need Skuse, Hyam to play centrally and we can afford to be a bit more creative.

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itsonlyme added 16:06 - Jun 2 My comment about ten new signings Is based on the fact that we have released and not renewed contracts of several players - they will need to be replaced - our squad is very thin as it is! I am not saying that we have to buy them just that our squad is too small!
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horsehollerer added 17:51 - Jun 2 The reason Murph is referring to Town as "them" is because he is being interviewed as part of the Irish squad by the Irish media. He is representing Ireland here, not Ipswich. Y'all are reading too much into this. He's not going anywhere.
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blueboy1981 added 18:08 - Jun 2 ........ all important thing is that the Season Ticket Sales are on course - not too sure that Evans, McCarthy, or whoever will be very concerned about much else. Sad to say, but unfortunately somewhat true. Could be another season of if's, but's and maybe's - we rode our luck last season with us being short of numbers and quality - as some have rightly highlighted, this must not happen again. Everyone that has / will leave needs replacing, and a few quality additions to the overall squad numbers. BUT, I suppose the same old crew would / will be as satisfied as ever, with whatever transpires. Could possibly be one of the reasons why we continue our struggle, to again reach the 'promised land'. Times have indeed changed.

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blueboy1981 added 18:15 - Jun 2 ........ ambitious players will always want to be with a progressive, ambitious Club - they are the first people to pick up the true vibes of whether or not they are with that kind of Club. Some of ours would not have been too happy with the quality, or quantity of the squad last season - you could bet your bottom dollar on that ..... !!!
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jazzy added 19:35 - Jun 2 Of course we gona strengthen. everyother team that missed out will
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RegencyBlue added 19:54 - Jun 2 “The gaffer doesn't know what budget he has for next year” If this comment is true then a truly incredible state of affairs at PR. How the hell is MM expected to prepare for the new season in just over eight weeks time if he doesnt yet know what he can spend?
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