Town manager Joe Royle is expecting to sign Shefki Kuqi permanently within the next 24 hours. Royle hopes that the long-term captures of Chris Bart-Williams and Alan Mahon will follow.

Royle says: “We're very close. I would hope that we tie something up in the next 24 hours. Shefki wants to come here, which is the big thing.

“It's initially a free transfer with a promotion bonus and that will be it.”

All three loanees are targeted as permanent signings, but Royle is focused on Kuqi at present: “One at a time. I'm just concentrating on getting this put to bed and then we'll move on to the others.

“We have the framework of a deal with Charlton for Chris Bart-Williams anyway.

"Alan Mahon was always going to be the hardest one to do for a number of reasons, but I would want to do that one as well."

Mahon has another year left on his deal at Blackburn and the Blues will find matching his current wages a problem.

The Ewood Park club may also be keen to see if they can acquire a fee for the winger during the January transfer window.

The possibility of three players coming in has led to speculation that there may be exits, however Royle says this will not be the case: “There is no likelihood of anyone leaving in January and certainly we aren't intending anybody to go out for somebody coming in.”

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls