Boss Paul Cook believes the Blues’ recruitment over the summer has been of a very high standard.

Town have made 18 senior additions to the squad with the club’s lengthy pursuit of Bersant Celina finally coming to a successful conclusion this morning.

“We feel that the recruitment of players over the summer has been of a very high standard," Cook told the club site.

“We want competition for places all over the pitch. We feel it is so important for a competitive squad.

“The transfer window closes tonight and if we are finished now, we’ll be delighted with what we’ve got.”

Town are understood to remain interested in Middlesbrough midfielder Sam Morsy ahead of this evening's 11pm transfer deadline but with sources on Teesside having suggested the move is unlikely with the Egyptian, Cook's captain at Chesterfield and Wigan, happy with Boro, while Championship clubs including Preston, Sheffield United and Luton also believed to be keen.

The Blues boss says the focus will now be on developing the new players into a team with Town without a game until a week on Saturday - Bolton's visit to Portman Road - as next weekend’s match at Wycombe postponed due to Chairboys international calls.

“When the window shuts, that’ll be us done and we can concentrate on getting the team to function as a football team,” he added. “At the minute, we’re just in the early stages of forming that.

"This couple of weeks is going to be a really good time for us to get the injured players back and get a couple of weeks of strong training in.”

Photos: TWTD/ITFC

nick8 added 15:24 - Aug 31 Shame the football is pony
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Stato added 15:25 - Aug 31 I'm not yet a Cook fan but the recruitment has been every bit as good as we were promised. A DM to keep Evans on his toes would of been my extra deal
11

JewellintheTown added 15:27 - Aug 31 Well done, all involved with the transfers. You've all outdone yourselves and done us proud. Pieces all in place so let's go win games now! Exciting times to be an ITFC fan.
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BlueRuin69 added 15:41 - Aug 31 Brilliant transfer window. I am a Cook fan, cv speaks for itself. When this team gells its a championship team. Well done Cook and Ashton. Coyb
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Mark added 15:42 - Aug 31 Brilliant work in the transfer market. We couldn't afford Celina in the Championship, yet here he is signing on loan in League One. So many options now, all over the pitch. Surely we will win soon, and then go on a winning run to get into the promotion mix.
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Kingfisher49 added 15:48 - Aug 31 Good recruitment throughout the summer but I do feel that any that do not cut the mustard will be out as quick as they came in and others recruited as early as January. Also I do believe these new owners are effective but ruthless at the same time.That is the way to keep all the players on their toes. Just hope that Jackson, Kenlock and Holy get a new club today because they deserve to be playing somewhere and it is money in and wages off the bill.

3

blues1 added 15:50 - Aug 31 Nicki. Clearly the comment of some1 who's not been to a match yet. The football has been head and shoulders above anything seen for years. It's only the individual errors that have cost us.
20

Eddie1985 added 15:51 - Aug 31 The Americans and Ashton have done the business now its time for the players and manager to deliver
13

PortmanTerrorist added 15:53 - Aug 31 Recruitment has been as fantastic as the results have been poor. Having said that, having watched all but 1 game, some concerns: 1. Hldaky is so poor and does not command his box. Holy would have been OK i think, but Walton should be the solution now. TICK! 2. CDM keeps getting mentioned, but Evans is a far better player than he is showing currently so give him time. Plus, Tom Carroll is here and nearly fit. Must be good enough. TICK! 3. Edwards covers 1 wing, but the other looked weak, but then Burns shows us what he can do on Sat! Now we have Celina too. TICK! 4. Almost all goals conceded have been from mistakes, Goalkeeper fault, and/or set piece. Virtually nothing from open play ! THIS IS ALL ON THE COACHES Basically I think we cannot ask for any better squad in this league, but am worried about our ability to coach a team to defend. Been saying it for weeks now and Mick Mills said it on Sat; all our current coaches are attack minded! And we then let Terry Butcher walk away from coaching at the Club?! That I do not get. PC will be given time, we will score goals and be entertaining for sure, but can he stop us conceding....not so sure.

8

dirtydingusmagee added 15:55 - Aug 31 certainly been busy and overall good transfer window for us, just need to get the results now, We cant afford to let those teams at top get away, the gap is already worrying, COYB
2

legoman added 15:58 - Aug 31 Go forth and conquer Cooky, 99% of the fans are right behind you.
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itfcserbia added 16:01 - Aug 31 PortmanTerrorist for all the calling out Hladky not being commanding have you counted how many times players in front of him failed to listen when he calls the ball? Woolfenden most of all. Pay attention mate.
2

chappie added 16:04 - Aug 31 We will come good, we have enviable quality throughout the team, momentum will be established and when we start winning, by god we're going to be frightening to other teams. The only small 'but' is that we really do need that captain figure in the middle of the park. I'm sure Evans is a better player than we've seen so far, but even then I don't see him as a commanding, motivating ITFC captain. COYB

5

greenkingtone added 16:18 - Aug 31 I saw the goals going in from South Stand. They were so clearly about to happen. The wall was stationary, nobody on the posts. Apart from silly errors the players looking good. COYB
3

mib added 16:45 - Aug 31 Then why cant we win???. What crap.
-8

mib added 16:48 - Aug 31 Blues1 football is better but you miss the point STILL NO WIN>
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PortmanTerrorist added 16:49 - Aug 31 Sorry itfcserbia, you may have some sort of point, but the guy is rooted to his line, is not vocal enough himself and his body language is really poor and was from minute 1 on Sat....his first action was a mis-kick as if to confirm that ! We sit close to the goal so we are neither blind or deaf and he looks like an accident waiting to happen, we all were saying it in the seats around us on Saturday, we got nervous every time he went near the ball, and sure enough he drops the ball in front of their player to cost us 2 points at the death. I do not doubt his ability as a Keeper to have had the career he has had, but based on what we have seen so far, he simply is not coping with the pressure of being at ITFC.

1

legoman added 16:57 - Aug 31 "United we stand, divided we fall".
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Nobbysnuts added 16:59 - Aug 31 Shane the results haven't...you silly man
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itfc58 added 17:00 - Aug 31 Agreed recruitment has been good! all we need to bring in now is a decent manager !
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Pettabelieveit added 17:08 - Aug 31 Think it's fair to say the recruitment drive has gone above and beyond expectation!
2

Suffolkboy added 17:09 - Aug 31 If it's been that good then now we can rightly expect Cook and his coaches to get the performance and focus ,fitness and commitment out of our very good looking squad ! Unfortunately that's all it is ,as of now ;loads of promise and potential yet to materialise – let's all sincerely trust it will ,very shortly . Much will depend on the character of each of the team ,from Manager and Coaches down ; I'm sure we are all full of hope ! COYB

0

Robert_Garrett added 17:23 - Aug 31 Now we only neeed Tom Lawrence back to complete the set in Jnauary 2022?
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tractorboybig added 17:50 - Aug 31 you can sign a hundred players dont bring success just needs a decent manger
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Linkboy13 added 18:02 - Aug 31 He looks delighted to be here. Agree the recruitment has been excellent but that doesn't guarantee success. Would like to see more fight and desire from some of the players. This has got nothing to do with gelling. Watched Premier league football at the weekend and very few teams were lacking in work rate.
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