TWTD understands that veteran Crystal Palace midfielder Shaun Derry is on Town manager Roy Keane’s summer wish-list, while Sheffield Wednesday are showing renewed interest in striker Pablo Couñago. The Blues boss has said on a number of occasions that he wants to add experienced Championship campaigners to his squad and 32-year-old Palace skipper Derry very much fits the bill.
The Nottingham-born defensive midfielder is out of contract at Selhurst Park with the administration-hit Eagles unlikely to be able to match any offer the Blues might have put on the table. Keane has said that "one or two” of his "four or five” summer targets are players available on free transfers.
Derry, 6ft tall, started his career with hometown club Notts County before moving on to Sheffield United for £700,000 in January 1998. Two years later, a £300,000 deal took him to Portsmouth, then in 2002 he joined Palace for a first spell for £400,000.
Having been on loan at Nottingham Forest during the Eagles’ 2004/05 Premier League campaign, Derry eventually signed for Leeds for £250,000 late in that season.
In November 2008, he moved back to Palace on loan, making the switch a permanent one the following January for an undisclosed fee.
Derry came close to joining the Blues on loan in November 2004 during Joe Royle’s time as Town manager, but Palace preferred to do a permanent deal with Leeds.
Meanwhile, striker Pablo Couñago is understood to again be interesting newly-relegated Sheffield Wednesday. The Spanish striker, who has another year left on his Town contract, looks set to leave the Blues over the summer, although whether the Owls would be able to afford his wages or whatever fee Town ask - even if League One football appeals to the 30-year-old - remains to be seen.
Former Blues keeper-coach Andy Rhodes is now at Hillsborough and was spotted at Portman Road towards the end of the season, TWTD having first reported the Owls' interest in the ex-Spain U21 international in January.
Leicester are reported to be considering signing Alex Bruce on a permanent basis after his loan spell. The central defender spent the second half of the season on loan at the Walkers Stadium.
Elsewhere, Tommy Smith currently appears to be in New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert’s first XI for the World Cup, judging by reports of the squad’s last home-based training session. The Town defender was used on the left of a three-man defence with Blackburn’s Ryan Nelsen in the centre and FC Midtjylland's Winston Reid on the right.
The trio are expected to play in Monday’s friendly against Australia at the MCG when Herbert plans to field his strongest side.
Former Blue Matt Bloomfield has signed a new one-year deal at Wycombe Wanderers. Felixstowe-born Bloomfield has been with the Chairboys since leaving Town on a free transfer in the summer of 2003.