Town boss Mick McCarthy felt 17-year-old Andre Dozzell put in a “very assured” display during Wednesday’s 1-0 pre-season friendly victory at Colchester.
Dozzell, who also stood out during the earlier friendly at Barnet, broke into the first team at the end of last season, scoring on his debut at Sheffield Wednesday having come on as a sub and making his first senior start in the home game against Fulham.
"I thought Andre looked very assured, I thought he had a very good game,” McCarthy said after the match at the Weston Homes Community Stadium where he used Dozzell in the narrow right midfield role in which Teddy Bishop has also played during pre-season.
How many games does McCarthy, who says he’s close to knowing his starting XI for the season opener at home to Barnsley on August 6th, envisage the England U17 international playing during the campaign ahead?
"I have no idea about that,” he admitted. "That is the million dollar question. But he will play and contribute this year, as I hope will James Blanchfield.
"I like to have a really good core of players, I don’t want to say numbers, and then James, Dozzer, Adam McDonnell, Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock, they are going to have to be the back-up.
"If I take someone else’s young lad [on loan] who is going to go into our team, that is different. If I take someone’s young lad to be our back-up, I would sooner use ours to be honest.”
McCarthy is continuing to look for reinforcements, primarily wide players, and is waiting for Premier League clubs to make their fringe players available for loan, which is likely to happen nearer to the start of the season.
"There are two or three we are trying to get in and two or three loans deals as well," he added. "But we will just keep waiting on that front.”
Would he be disappointed not to add to his squad before the Barnsley game? "I don’t think the players who are here will be disappointed as they will have a better chance of playing.
"Bish has been playing on the right and he is very capable of playing there. While we haven’t picked up any wingers and I am still looking, Bish has played there and Freddie has played on the left.
"I am a great believer in dealing with what you have got rather than bemoaning what you haven’t got because if you are that way, you are going to be more positive in the people playing for you.
"Whatever I have got when we play Barnsley, I will expect a good performance.”
Former loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who was in the England U19s side which exited the European Championships after losing 2-1 to Italy at the semi-final stage in Germany yesterday, remains on McCarthy’s radar.
"I would take him back, I told him that at the end of last season and I told Arsenal that at the end of last season. It is no secret,” the Town boss continued.
"He will be a better player this year for his experience last year. If he would like to come back, I would have him back all day long.”
Meanwhile, Bromley have ended their interest in young defender Joe Robinson, who played a trial game for the Vanarama National League side at the weekend.
"Joe Robinson went to Bromley and had half a game, I think, and they are looking elsewhere. Joe is available to go out on loan,” McCarthy said.
Also back at Portman Road is keeper Michael Crowe after a two-week trial at Portsmouth, also with a view to a loan.
"Michael Crowe is slightly different. He went to Portsmouth with the view to being their first choice keeper — and if he had been that, I would have let him go, of course.
"If he plays one game and doesn’t play well, that’s different — as long as he had started.
"But I think Cooky [Pompey manager Paul Cook] can’t afford to take a lad without too much experience. Portsmouth are a big club with a big fanbase and I think that was too much of a risk for them.
"If he had gone, I would have had to have got another keeper in case we have any problems on the bench. Michael will stay and play U21s.”
The Town first team are next in action at Cambridge United on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm) when McCarthy says the players who came on during the second half at Colchester - including new signing Adam Webster - will start and in most cases will be given around an hour.
A Town XI expected to include a number of fringe players will be in action away against a Coggeshall Town side featuring pop star Olly Murs this evening (KO 7pm), while an U18s team will travel to face Hadleigh United on Saturday (KO midday).