The final day of the transfer window seems likely to be quiet at Portman Road with little movement in or out expected before tonight’s 11pm deadline. Manager Mick McCarthy has already added Patrick Kisnorbo, Frank Nouble, David McGoldrick, Aaron Mclean, Richard Stearman and Anthony Wordsworth to his squad during January.
Youngsters Jack Ainsley, who has been on trial at Bury, and Josh Carson, who spent time at Northampton last week and is understood to be interesting other clubs, could make loan moves but no other exits seem likely.
In terms of players coming in, Town are reported to have been the club which made an unsuccessful bid for Wolves left-back Stephen Ward earlier in the week, although Nottingham Forest are more widely claimed to have been the interested party and the addition of another left-back would be a surprise.
Forest subsequently had a further bid accepted, according to reports this morning, but the move has broken down over personal terms.
In some of this morning’s papers Crystal Palace are said to have made a joint raid for Ward and striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, another of McCarthy’s Molineux squad who has previously been linked with the Blues.
Former loanee DJ Campbell is reportedly edging closer to his switch from QPR to Hull City, personal terms having been the sticking point over the weekend after a fee had been agreed between the clubs.
Kieron Dyer, who trained with the Blues recently, is expected to complete his move to Town’s Saturday opponents Middlesbrough, having been released by QPR earlier in the window.
Former loan keeper Stephen Henderson continues to be mentioned in connection with a swap move to Blackburn with former England man Paul Robinson going to West Ham. The Irishman previously worked with Rovers boss Michael Appleton at Portsmouth.
McCarthy is keen to add another keeper to his squad and at the end of last week didn’t rule out Henderson’s return, but may not be in any panic with the loan window opening next week and 93-day ‘emergency’ loans stretching to the end of the season on May 4th.
Meanwhile, the Blues boss says none of this year’s U18s are likely to break into his first team plans this season: "No, maybe next year, not this season, no.
"I’d love to think they were. I’d love to think that we were in a position that with a few games to go we could say we were going to have a look at one or two of them.
"Are any of them knocking the door down? I don’t think so at the moment, which is a shame but if we got the chance to give one or two of them a chance, then I would.”