Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that defensive pair Steven Taylor and Jonas Knudsen will miss the rest of the season.
Taylor, 31, suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury during Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Wigan, his first game back in the side.
McCarthy says he has spoken to the former Newcastle man, whose short-term deal is up in the summer, about returning to Portman Road next season.
"That’s Tayls finished for the season,” he confirmed. "Going forward, he’s been such a positive influence around the place, he is a good player, a good pro, he trains brilliantly.
"I’ve had the discussion with him that if he wants to come back and do a pre-season next season I’m sure everybody would be happy to see him. If he’s fit he’s a really good player.
"He missed the pre-season last season and it always leaves you in danger of getting injuries.”
Knudsen, 24, is out with a shoulder injury and McCarthy says the Danish international won’t play again this season, despite not requiring surgery.
"He just did it in training, it just popped open,” he said. "We had some good news on him today, I think he’s going to get by rehabbing it as opposed to having an operation on it, which was the first thought.
"Pretty much because he’s big and powerful up here and we know he’ll do all his rehabbing and his work and strengthening. I think that’s the route we’re going to go down rather than operating.
"He won’t be involved in the season, it’s going to be four to six weeks, I would have thought.”
Regarding another defender, Adam Webster, who has been out of action since January with an ankle injury, McCarthy dismissed the player’s suggestion that he could be back for the final match of the campaign.
"That’s what he said, last game of the season. I don’t think so,” McCarthy added. "He’s hoping to be out on the training ground prior to the Newcastle game, that’s still his goal.
"If he gets there it would be nice to have training and just finish the season fit. Then he can go and have his holiday and then he’ll be right for coming back.”