Town manager Roy Keane says there’s a long way to go before the Blues add Cardiff City striker Ross McCormack to their ranks. Yesterday the Scottish international’s agent confirmed that the clubs are in talks but the deal, which could see Jon Stead move in the opposite direction, seems some distance from being completed.
Keane said: "There’s a lot of work to be done on that one. Jon Stead could possibly go the other way, but there is a lot of work to be done on that as well.
"That’s the one deal I wouldn’t be too sure is going to happen. There’s a lot of chatting going on and when there’s too much chatting that’s not really good.”
The Blues boss dismissed Welsh reports that a loan swap could be on the cards, while a national newspaper claims that McCormack is currently fuming at Keane for forcing him into a needless 800-mile [sic] round trip from Cardiff to Ipswich and back for merely a chat about the move rather than to complete the deal.
Given that the 23-year-old is currently serving a 17-month ban for drink-driving most aspects of the story seem unlikely, although McCormack’s presence at the club on Monday was mentioned by a number of TWTD Message Board posters.
Keane says that despite Stead speaking to Bristol City and Blackpool regarding possible moves in addition to the current interest from Cardiff, the striker has shown just the right attitude: "Steady’s not once come to see me and said ‘it doesn’t look like I’m in your plans’ or any nonsense like that.
"He’s done it properly where we’ve had an offer accepted and I’ve spoken to Steady. He’s done it the proper way.”
The Blues boss says he will have no problem continuing to pick Stead even though his future may lie elsewhere: "Steady scored last Saturday, did very well the other night. He’s spoken to two or three clubs, he’s probably fed up of speaking to clubs. If he keeps his form the way it is then he’ll be in my starting XI.
"Jon played on Tuesday night and for a player who might be leaving the club he did very, very well. I always welcome back players with open arms, I force no one out of the football club.”
Keane says he could add one more loan player to his squad today ahead of Saturday’s first home game of the season against Burnley: "If we get another player done today, it’ll be another young player.”
The Blues boss also revealed that he had been in conversation with Celtic manager Neil Lennon, but says this wasn’t related to any potential move: "No, I speak to Lenny all the time.”