Boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll be thrilled if the Blues complete their move for Cardiff City midfielder Emyr Huws, who was on loan at Portman Road last season. The Bluebirds have accepted a Town offer for the 23-year-old Wales international.
"We’ve made a bid and had it accepted by Cardiff,” McCarthy said. "He was an outstanding player for us.
"Tom Lawrence stood out like a sore thumb with the goals that he got, but from Emyr coming in in the window in January, he was brilliant, really outstanding.
"And I don’t think I’ll ever forget the goal he scored against Newcastle that probably rubber-stamped our survival in the league, so if we get him back I’ll be thrilled.”
Is he confident that the Blues will be able to complete the deal with other clubs understood to be interested? "There comes a time with a player… he was a Manchester City player, he was on loan at Birmingham, he was at Huddersfield, he’s been at Wigan, he’s been to Cardiff.
"Sometimes you find a place where you’ve enjoyed the football maybe, you find a manager who trusts you and lets you play and it just fits.
"And I think it did for Emyr and hopefully we can get those performances that he showed last season and better than that if he signs permanently.”
McCarthy says it will be useful that Huws and and Jordan Spence, who signed a longer-term deal earlier in the summer having been on a short-term deal since January, were with the Blues last season.
"It’s continuity,” he added. "Those two players have been here, one was on a short-term contract, which is never great because he’s playing without being able to be composed and assured that he’s going to be here.
"But I thought Jordan Spence did exceptionally well coming in when he did and I’m delighted we’ve signed him.
"Emyr is 23, I’d really love to sign him, he’s a good player. I think there’s improvement in him and he’ll make us a better team if we can sign him.”
Among those at the first day of pre-season training this morning was Steven Taylor, whose short-term contract was up at the end of the season.
"He’s here training with us,” McCarthy said. "I said that to him at the end of last season, bearing in mind he damaged his hamstring badly.
"But when he came in he was a really positive influence in the place and I was delighted with him, so I’ve said he can come in and train. We’ll have a look at him, he can have a look at us.”