Town skipper Carlos Edwards admits he is facing an uncertain future with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season.
Signed from Sunderland by then manager Roy Keane in September 2009, which makes him one of the longest-serving members of manager Mick McCarthy’s senior squad, he is in the dark about whether he will be offered a new deal or released on a free transfer.
Edwards, 35, has only started eight league games this season and appeared as a substitute in a further six, scoring only one goals, and was asked if he had even considered asking for a move away from Portman Road,
He said: "No, I have not, but you never know what will happen. I will have a word with the manager to see what his long-term plans are for me. If he wants me to stay [beyond the end of the season] I will chew off his hand, no problem, because my entire family are comfortable here.
"I feel as if I was born in Suffolk because it’s such a big part of me, so if the manager wants me to extend my stay here I will gladly do that. What is my gut feeling? To be fair, I really don’t know. It’s a question that I can’t even answer myself.
"Maybe in the near future, as we get closer to the end of the season, I might just have a word with him to see what his plan is. At this present time I don’t want to go in with guns blazing to ask him ‘What’s the situation? I need to look after myself.’
"I’ll just have to wait and see. I feel fit enough to prolong my career, whether it’s here or elsewhere. I think I still have something to give and I’m hoping it could be here at Ipswich.”
Edwards started three recent games — the FA Cup third round tie and replay with Preston and the league defeat at Millwall — but only boss Mick McCarthy knows if he will retain his place for Saturday’s home clash with sixth-placed Reading.
Meanwhile, former Town keeper Arran Lee-Barrett has extended his contract at Bolton until the end of the season. The 29-year-old initially joined the Trotters in October but is yet to make his debut.