Town boss Mick McCarthy says new signing Adam Webster is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season having only recently returned to action following the ankle injury he suffered while with Portsmouth last season.
McCarthy says the 21-year-old, for whom the Blues paid Pompey £700,000 with fellow centre-half Matt Clarke moving in the opposite direction earlier in the summer, has impressed since he joined the club.
"Adam’s a good player, I think he’ll develop into a really top centre-back. He can defend but he’s got that other side of it as well, he’s a really good footballer.”
Webster came on as a sub at Colchester last Wednesday and started at Cambridge on Saturday but McCarthy feels the former England U19 and U20 international won’t be quite ready to start when the Blues face Barnsley at home on the opening day.
"Probably not after 13 weeks out, we’ve only got two weeks to the start and we’ve got two 90 minutes to get in. So probably not I would have thought,” he said.
With Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra having been regular starters throughout McCarthy’s time in charge, the Town manager admits he has big decisions to make once Webster reaches full fitness: "I know, that’s what I’m paid to do. I hope I get them right.”
Regarding reported interest in Smith from a number of Championship clubs, the Town manager says he’s heard nothing: "Nobody’s made a phone call to me about him.”
Town have taken up an option for a further year on Smith’s last contract and McCarthy says discussions have been ongoing regarding new terms, although he isn’t sure where things stand at present.
"We were in negotiations with him but where they are at I’m not sure, I leave that to [owner] Marcus [Evans],” he added.
A report at the weekend claimed Newcastle and Fulham are showing interest in Daryl Murphy but McCarthy says no one has been in contact regarding the 33-year-old either: "Good old agents, eh? The paper never refused ink, did it, that’s for sure. Likewise, I’ve not had any calls about him.
"That doesn’t mean there isn’t interest because he’s a good player and he had a good European Championships. I sincerely hope not but by the way he’s on a long contract with us. We don’t have to sell anybody, that’s a discussion I’ve had with Marcus today.”