Blues boss Mick McCarthy has revealed he considered bringing Jonny Williams, who could return to Portman Road with his new loan club Sunderland on Tuesday, back to Town in the summer for what would have been a fifth loan spell.
The Crystal Palace attacker initially joined the Blues in February 2014 when he enjoyed a hugely successful stint in Suffolk.
However, injuries limited the Wales international’s involvement during his three subsequent spells. Overall, across his four spells, he made 16 starts and 12 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring twice.
Since joining Sunderland on the final day of the transfer window Williams has made three starts and one sub appearance. He missed Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff having been unwell and will be assessed ahead of the Town game.
McCarthy is pleased that the 23-year-old has got some time on the pitch since making his move to the Stadium of Light.
"I’m delighted for him,” he said. "He’s such a lovely young man, it’s been a pleasure having him here. He was outstanding the first time but sadly every time we had him he got injured.”
Did he look at bringing him back in the summer? "It doesn’t really matter, does it? I always consider Jonny, always. I did. It’s how we’re going to play and how he would play as well, though.
"And the other thing is, he’d been injured every time. I don’t know, it just didn’t seem like a right fit for either of us.
"I felt sorry for him and, bringing him back, if he’d have got injured again I’d have felt so badly for him.
"I think he needed somewhere else to go, he needed a fresh start. And, to be honest, I think there were people in for him, looking to buy him as well. But I’d always consider Jonny Williams because I really like him.”