Town skipper Luke Chambers has dismissed reports linking him with a move to Championship rivals Huddersfield and confirmed: “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chambers was linked with the Terriers earlier this week, a national newspaper claiming they wanted to sign him on loan initially with a view to completing a permanent deal in the January transfer window.
The 29-year-old former Nottingham Forest captain, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season, said: "I heard about that but I’m not going anywhere. We’re talking, the club and I, so hopefully something will be agreed. I don’t want to go anywhere.
"This is my most enjoyable spell as a professional. My family are settled down here, I love all the boys here, the gaffer has been brilliant with me since day one and the fans have been fantastic as well. There’s also the prospect of Premier League football but for me it’s all about playing for the gaffer.
"Every team he has been involved with, he’s had them right at the top end of the league and that’s where we want to be. When you play under him you’ve always got a chance. Where I want to play is the Premier League and because I’m getting on a bit now I think my opportunity will be with Ipswich.”
That will be music to the ears of all Town fans, especially with Chambers pivotal to the club’s current unbeaten run of seven games that has coincided with him moving from right-back to his preferred role in the centre of defence.
Chambers added: "I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I wanted to play there and it’s just unfortunate for Tommy [Smith] that he has dropped out. But he has been fantastic, right behind everyone in the team.
"It shows the strength in depth we have and the togetherness too. Smudger obviously wants to play and will be doing everything he can to get back in the team, which is keeping us on our toes on this unbeaten run.
"We’re a completely different team now in my opinion. I did my best at right-back and tried to offer what I could.
"It was a long season for me playing there but I feel so much more comfortable in the middle and, as the gaffer has mentioned, having a right-footed and left-footed player there has given us more balance to attack down both sides.
"Jonny [Parr] scored at the back post the other week and we’re looking like we can attack both sides and be a bit more diverse.”
Meanwhile, Saturday’s opponents Blackburn have injury concerns regarding centre-half Grant Hanley and striker Josh King, who picked up knocks while on international duty.
Striker Rudy Gestede is back in training after a hamstring problem, as are midfielder Tom Cairney (groin) and Alex Baptiste (calf), while one-time England international midfielder David Dunn will come back into the squad after a knee injury.
Rovers will definitely be without Tommy Spurr (groin), Chris Brown (knee) and Jason Lowe (foot), while the game is likely to come too soon for Paul Robinson (knee).