TWTD understands that Town’s deal to sign former loanee Emyr Huws from Cardiff City on a permanent basis could be completed as soon as tomorrow.
Yesterday, Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock revealed that his club had accepted an offer from the Blues for the 23-year-old Wales international, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Portman Road.
The fee is likely to be Town’s second seven-figure outlay of the summer, probably in excess of the £1 million paid to Rangers for Joe Garner, the biggest sum spent by manager Mick McCarthy since he took charge of the Blues in November 2012.
Speaking at the first day of pre-season training yesterday, McCarthy said he’d be delighted to get the deal done.
"We’ve made a bid and had it accepted by Cardiff,” he 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.”
McCarthy says everything seemed to click for Huws during his loan spell at Town, in which he scored three goals in 13 starts, following an unsettled period of his career having left Manchester City after progressing through their academy.
"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.”