Boss Mick McCarthy says it was performances during his loan spell with Rotherham earlier this year which persuaded him to sign Zeki Fryers on loan from Crystal Palace when he found himself short of a left-back.
The 22-year-old, who made 10 appearances for the Millers between January and March, is set to make his Blues debut against AFC Bournemouth today with Tyrone Mings suspended for two games having reached 10 bookings and Jonny Parr set to miss out with a hamstring injury.
Asked whether he had been tracking the former England U19 international for a while McCarthy said: "Not really because he went to Palace for about £3 million and I tend not to look at those players!
"He was at Manchester United, then out to Standard Liege, then to Spurs. The irony is that Palace signed him because we wouldn’t sell Tyrone Mings to them in the summer.
"I’ve seen him at close quarters because I went to see Rotherham play Bolton and he played very well that night and they had a good win.
"Then he played against us and played well. So recently I’ve kept an eye on him and he’s done well.”
The Town boss said he needed a recognised left-back with Mings suspended and Parr likely to be sidelined, although that’s no slight on 18-year-old Matt Clarke, who might have been an alternative option.
"Clarkey’s a left-sided centre-back,” he said. "I think I’d put him on in a game if I had to at left-back. I’d certainly play him at centre-half.
"But he would be playing against one of the most talented wingers in the league in Matt Ritchie, so I think a recognised left-back is a prudent move for us.”
Having loaned Fryers and Jonny Williams in addition to Luke Varney, Richard Chaplow and Chris Wood who have all also signed on a temporary basis since the turn of the year McCarthy says he can have no complaints with the backing he’s received from owner Marcus Evans.
"I’ve never had any about the backing from the owner or the support that I get,” he added.
"We’re in a good position. Having had a difficult March, in the last game we went back into the top six and it was worthy of having a go and making sure that we’d got enough players, and good enough players, that we can compete for one of those [places].
"Who knows, if we win [today] we're three points behind them and we could be fighting for top spot again. That’s how bonkers the league is and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Photo: ITFC