Town manager Paul Jewell has revealed he has circulated a list of players he is willing to let move out on loan. One of those players, Jaime Peters, has already joined Bournemouth for a month, while Shane O’Connor is another available should a club come in for him.
Jewell says a number of players have come to him to talk about their futures in recent weeks: "I said in a press conference that no one has knocked on my door and asked to leave, which has had a great response really because since then a couple of them have knocked on the door and asked what’s going on.
"I’ve sent out a circular to say that certain players will be allowed to go out on loan, partly with a view to permanent moves but also because if they’re playing [senior football] it’s far better than them playing reserve games behind closed doors here or reserve games anywhere.
"I’m a big believer in getting them out and playing in a first team. It’s a three-fold thing - it can work for the player, it can work for the club and sometimes it can work for both of us.
"Sometimes they can come back rejuvenated, fresher, fitter and more confident or they can come back realise that maybe they aren’t going to be for us and we sell them or move them on.
"Players are far better playing football at a competitive level for all concerned. That doesn’t mean that everybody’s available to go on loan, just that certain players are.”
The Blues boss says O’Connor, whose only appearance under Jewell’s management was as a sub in the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final at Arsenal last season, is amongst those on the list: "Shane’s been injured unfortunately, although he’s OK now.
"It’s been stop-start for him. When I first came he did his hamstring, then he did his shoulder. We’d like to get Shane out on loan as well.”
Tamás Priskin, Colin Healy and Tommy Smith may also have been on the list, while Jewell says the Blues are continuing to look for a temporary club for Ronan Murray, whose switch to Gillingham recently broke down: "We’d like to get Ronan out, he went to Torquay [at the end of last season].”
But Jewell says another youngster is required at Portman Road, despite not having broken into the 16 this season so far: "We’re not prepared to get Joe Whight out on loan just yet, I don’t think.
"With the progress of Aaron Cresswell, people have forgotten about Joe, but we haven’t. We think Joe’s going to be a good player in the future for Ipswich.
"I can see he’s a little bit frustrated. A loan might be something we’ll look to do later on. But I think Joe’s going to be a really good player.”
Local boy Whight, 17, signed a two-year professional deal in the summer and was amongst the first team subs on a number of occasions towards the end of last season but without making his debut.
The Town manager says he’s willing to extend Jamie Griffiths’s loan at Plymouth beyond its initial month, confirming that the cash-strapped Pilgrims aren’t contributing to the 19-year-old midfielder’s salary: "If they want, we’re paying his wages. We are officially now a registered charity, but you better not tell Marcus Evans that!”
"I know Jamie spoke to one of the lads and he’s loving the fact that he’s involved in the preparation of matches with the first team.
"It’s a huge learning experience for the kids. I did the same thing when I went to Wigan. I was cocooned at Liverpool thinking that things are done a certain way, but they aren’t.
"The way the preparation is done, the travelling, mentally it’s tiring. It’s all good stuff for them and I want them to come back wanting to do that every week.
"And if they can’t do that here, I want to give them an insight of what it’s like to do it at another club.”