TWTD understands that goalkeeper Stephen Henderson is the third player the Blues are trying to sign from crisis club Portsmouth. Last week we revealed that Town were chasing defensive duo Jason Pearce and Joel Ward, who manager Paul Jewell is continuing to pursue.
Republic of Ireland U21 international keeper Henderson joined Pompey from Bristol City in the summer having failed to usurp ex-England international David James at Ashton Gate.
The 23-year-old, who stands 6ft 4in tall, has previously spent time on loan at York, Weymouth, Aldershot and Yeovil, winning the Glovers’ Player of the Year award last season.
Henderson, who is contracted until 2014, started this season on the Fratton Park bench but has been the regular first choice since October and was recently reported to have been watched by Newcastle United.
The Dubliner comes from a goalkeeping dynasty. Grandfather Paddy played for Shamrock Rovers in the 1960s, his father, also named Stephen, played, managed and coached at various sides in the League of Ireland.
His uncle Dave also played in the League of Ireland, for amongst others Shamrock Rovers, and another uncle, Wayne, currently plays for Preston and the Republic of Ireland.
Town are understood to have offered Portsmouth £2 million for the trio with talks continuing and with Pompey still to accept any bids for any of their players since news of their current financial problems became public.
Despite recently signing Reading’s Alex McCarthy on loan, Blues boss Paul Jewell has been looking for a keeper for the longer term since David Stockdale was at Portman Road on a similar spell from Fulham.
Jewell previously intimated that he might wait until the summer before looking for a new number one but McCarthy’s unsteady start to his 93-day loan — he misses Town’s game against West Ham after being sent off at Leeds — and Henderson’s possible availability at a bargain fee looks to have hastened the search.
In addition, Blues third-choice keeper Richard Wright, on a short-term deal to the end of the season, has been on trial with US side Dallas FC this week and is understood to be looking for a club where he can play first team football more regularly.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton says Jewell is the only manager who has spoken to him expressing interest in his cash-strapped club’s players, despite claims of Leicester and other sides making moves: "I keep hearing that [we’ve received bids] but I’ve only had one conversation with one manager, so that’s quite pleasing from my point of view.
"I keep hearing that they’ve had a bid for this and a bid for that but the only person I’ve spoken to is Paul Jewell, and that was about 10 days ago.”
While the Blues and other clubs are understood to be talking to the off-field management at Fratton Park, Appleton feels other bosses ought to be contacting him: "I’ve not spoken to any other manager, so if people are putting bids in they’re obviously telling the wrong people or doing it in the wrong areas.
"From our point of view, if one of the players does interest one of the other clubs, I’d expect a phone call from the manager and do it in the right and proper fashion.”
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