Town are amongst a number of clubs reported to be eyeing Bury keeper Reice Charles-Cook, who has turned down a new contract with the Shakers.
According to Sky Sports, the Blues, Crystal Palace, Bolton and Middlesbrough are amongst the sides understood to be monitoring the 20-year-old’s situation.
His agent Lee Payne confirmed that his player was looking for a new club: "Reice decided to move on from Bury.
"He had a good time there, and will always be grateful to David Flitcroft for giving him his Football League debut and for offering him a new contract, but he wants to explore other options.
"A lot of people know how talented Reice is and we now have to decide between us what the next step will be."
Charles-Cook joined the League Two side following his release by Arsenal a year ago and made one start and one sub appearance during March, spending the rest of the season on the bench. While with the Gunners, where he was unable to break into the first-team squad, the Londoner spent a short spell on loan at Chelmsford.
With Scott Loach moving to Rotherham yesterday, Town are certainly in the market for another keeper this summer, however, manager Mick McCarthy is likely to be looking for someone more experienced than Charles-Cook to compete with current first choice Dean Gerken.
Aside from Gerken, 18-year-old Michael Crowe, who is yet to play a first-team game, is the most senior keeper at the club. McCarthy is unlikely to promote the London-born, Norway-raised Wales U19 international to second-choice next season and may look to send him out on loan to gain senior experience.
McCarthy and keeper-coach Malcolm Webster were both spotted running the rule over Colchester’s Town-supporting number one Sam Walker at various times during 2013/14, although a move for the 22-year-old, who having signed an 18-month deal when he joined the U’s from Chelsea in January would command a fee, is unlikely unless the Blues’ transfer budget is boosted by the sale of Aaron Cresswell or another current player.
Amongst the other keepers who may be on McCarthy and Webster’s list of potential signings is former loanee Bartosz Bialkowski.
The Pole, who was understood to have been interesting the Blues last summer, has said he will leave Notts County during the close season, despite having a year left on his contract.
The 26-year-old recently told the Polish media that he is close to a move to a Championship club — believed to be Brighton — but the Magpies are yet to receive an offer for him.
Bialkowski spent a short spell on loan with the Blues in 2009 without making a first-team appearance and was coached by Webster during their time together at Southampton. As with Walker, Town are unlikely to make a move unless their summer budget has received an injection from a sale.
Elsewhere, academy midfielder Monty Patterson is on the bench as the New Zealand U20s take on Brazil in their second game at the Panda Cup in China this morning. The 17-year-old, who starts a two-year scholarship this summer, came on as a 66th minute sub as the http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/25269/patterson-on-as-sub-in-defeat>Juni All Whites lost 1-0 to the hosts in their opening game on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Simon Milton, Alan Lee and the rest of TeamITFC have started their London to Amsterdam charity cycle ride. You can follow their progress via Milton’s Twitter account.