Boss Mick McCarthy says he is confident that Town will keep hold of 27-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy, with the 32-year-old Irishman wanting to stay at Portman Road.
Asked by BBC Radio Suffolk how confident he is that the club can hang on to Murphy, the subject of much speculation during the close season, McCarthy said: "No problem at all. I think first and foremost he wants to stay, he loves it here.
"I know there are other mitigating factors which can put the spanner in the works from time to time, but I think we’ll have him at the start of the season."
Murphy has consistently said that he has no plans to leave Town as he and his family are settled in Suffolk.
The Waterford-born frontman signed a new contract with Town last July, which has another year left to run with the Blues having an option to extend it for a further season.
McCarthy says the former Waterford, Sunderland and Celtic man wouldn’t be easy to replace if he were to move on: "Of course, how do you do that?
"That’s why he causes so much interest because there are not that many around. I do feel that we have helped nurture his career, and it’s in his latter years the best part of his career - 27 goals was his best haul.
"And I think he enjoys it here, he’s got the number nine on his back, he’s got good mates here, I think his family are settled here and he loves the club. And the feeling’s mutual, we all love him. So, let’s hope it does happen and he stays.”
Middlesbrough, who had a £4.5 million offer for Murphy turned down last month, and are claimed to have made another offer, according to one report this morning, are understood to be close to completing the signing of 6ft 2in tall Uruguayan international striker Christian Stuani, which may signal an end to their interest in the Blues frontman.
Cardiff City, Sheffield Wednesday - who are the club believed to have made the audacious loan offer McCarthy revealed at the weekend - and Norwich City are amongst a host of other clubs understood to have shown interest in the 14-times-capped Irish international during the summer.
Murphy, David McGoldrick and Christophe Berra were all back at the club on Monday after being given an additional two weeks off having been away on international duty until mid-June.