Blues boss Roy Keane has refused to confirm nor deny that Bohemians keeper Brian Murphy is set to join the Blues, as first reported yesterday by TWTD. The Town manager also failed to rule out Sunderland’s Daryl Murphy moving to Portman Road and confirmed that he is looking for a replacement for the injured David Norris.
TWTD reported yesterday that Murphy is due to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Blues, which will see him join the club in November at the end of the Irish season, although he wouldn’t be able to play until January when the transfer window will allow the move to be formalised.
Keane admitted that he is aware of Murphy but with the deal understood to be at a delicate stage, wouldn’t go as far as confirming our story: "We’ve got the two keepers at the moment, everyone knows I believe in having three keepers because of potential injury problems, so we’re looking at a number of targets.
"I’m aware of the lad, of course. I don’t think I’d be doing my job if I wasn’t aware of my options in terms of goalkeepers and, at the moment in terms of the injury to David Norris, to midfielders. That’s part of my job.
"We’re well aware of the boy Murphy, whether we’ll do anything remains to be seen, it’s the same scenario with a lot of other players.”
Keane confirmed that he will be looking for a replacement for Norris, who inured his knee at Coventry last Sunday: "We’ve had more reports on David this week and we’re looking at around three or four months. It’s a big loss to us and, more importantly, to the boy himself because since I’ve come to the club he’s been outstanding.
”He’s got a great attitude, he’s probably the fittest player at the club and he’ll be a big loss.
"I said the other night I wouldn’t be looking for a replacement, but that might have changed over the last one or two days and I might look to bring in someone in the next week or so, as he brought a lot of energy to our team and we’re going to miss that.”
Keane ruled out the possibility of signing Dundee United’s Morgaro Gomis, but confirmed that Bohemians midfielder Gary Deegan, first linked with Town last month, is on his wish-list list: "You could put him in the bracket of a potential target. We’re weighing up our options and we’ll be speaking to one or two clubs in the next few days.”
Earlier this week, a national newspaper reported that Sunderland’s Daryl Murphy was set to complete a move to the Blues, having turned down a switch last month. Keane appeared not to rule out the Irish international still moving to Town, but said nothing is imminent when asked whether anything was happening on that front: "Not today, no.”
The Blues boss says he still expects departures from Portman Road, although there has been no recent serious interest: "Not in the last few days. We haven’t got the biggest squad in the world, but I still think there might be movement on one or two over the next week. I know there are clubs in the background, shall we say, making tentative enquiries.
"They can make all the enquiries they want, clubs need to put bids on the table if they’re interested in my boys and not speak to every Tom, Dick and Harry about it, that’s what I do. If I’m interested in a player, I make an offer.”