Boss Mick McCarthy has admitted that it’s likely that skipper Carlos Edwards will leave the club in the summer. The 35-year-old, who joined Millwall on loan last Thursday, is out of contract in the summer.
"Nothing’s been decided totally but there’s every chance that could happen, he’s out of contract,” McCarthy said.
"It always appears one-sided that, that the club allows somebody to come out of contract. But actually, as I’ve explained to one or two of them, while everybody’s badgering me about what’s going to happen, what happens if they get a better offer and then I go to them and say I’d like them to sign?
"They’d do one without a hint of anything towards me, don’t worry about that! It’s not always one way, it’s not the big, bad club that’s holding players to ransom. They’re also the ones who’ve got opportunities to do something else.
"To be fair to Carlos, I could have kept him here and had him as part of the squad, just as a safety valve.
"But I think we can cover that position and as a favour to him, because he has been so good and such a good player for the club - loyal, honest and straightforward - I wanted him to get some football. And it gives him a chance to put himself in the shop window.”
The Trinidad and Tobago international joined the Blues from Sunderland in the summer of 2009 for a fee of £1.35 million during his former Black Cats boss Roy Keane's time in charge at Portman Road.
In total he has made 170 starts and 21 sub appearances for Town, scoring 10 goals, but this season has started only 11 games, in addition to seven matches from the bench, netting one goal.
Edwards made his Millwall debut in Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Town’s next opponents Blackburn Rovers.
Meanwhile, Blackburn, who are still in with an outside chance of reaching the play-offs, take on Brighton, who are two points and one place behind the Blues in ninth, at Ewood Park in their game in hand this evening. Fifth-placed Wigan are at home to champions elect Leicester.
Elsewhere, Freddie Veseli's loan club Bury face Bristol Rovers at home in League Two, while Jack Marriott and Woking welcome Forest Green Rovers to the Kingfield Stadium in the Skrill Premier.