Blues youngster George Fowler could complete his permanent switch to loan club Aldershot on what’s currently not expected to be a busy final day of the transfer window at Portman Road.
On Friday, Town boss Mick McCarthy confirmed that defender Fowler, 20, is set to follow Adam McDonnell in making his move to the Shots a permanent one and Gary Waddock, his counterpart with the Vanarama National League side, says the clubs and the player are discussing the details relating to the deal.
"We haven’t signed him yet but he’s a good player,” Waddock told Get Surrey. "We are talking to them at the moment. I’d like to get it done soon if we can get it over the line but sometimes you can and sometimes you can’t. We are talking at the moment.
"George is a lovely lad and came to us difficult circumstances with Callum [Reynolds] out the team and he settled in and formed a really good relationship with Will [Evans].”
Regarding last week’s permanent signing of McDonnell, Waddock added: "He’s been here before on loan and done very well.
"Adam had a very good relationship with the players and the supporters, and I think sometimes when players have a taste of a club they want to come back and we were lucky to get him back because he’s a good player.
"He knows the club and knows the players and I think when he went back to Ipswich he missed them as well. He is still developing as a player so there’s no reason why he can’t eventually go back up the leagues to where he’s come from.
"We signed him on a free and it gives us more competition in that midfield area. We have some good players in there anyway. He brings something different and he’s left-footed as well, so that gives us some balance in there.”
Waddock, who was at Playford Road to watch the U23s beat QPR 3-0 earlier this month, and McCarthy are close friends having played together for the Republic of Ireland and Millwall and the EBB Stadium has become a regular loan destination for Town youngsters over the last couple of seasons.
Kundai Benyu spent most of 2016/17 with the Hampshire club and James Blanchfield also moved there briefly after McDonnell was recalled from his loan spell at the end of last year before recently returning to the Blues with an ankle injury.
"Ipswich have been good to us. Mick McCarthy has been fantastic, I’ve known him for years and we have a good relationship,” added Waddock, who says he had no problem with McCarthy revealing the Fowler move.
"We have to thank Mick for allowing us to sign a player of that quality [McDonnell]. I’ve heard he gives a little bit about us away but it keeps everyone happy, so why not?”
McCarthy said he was allowing Fowler to move on as the former Debenham High School pupil has other young players ahead of him in the pecking order, Luke Woolfenden, who is currently on loan at Bromley, and Chris Smith, who is spending the rest of the season back at Chelmsford City.
"He is [joining Aldershot], that’s the plan,” McCarthy said on Friday. "They want to take him and equally he’s not going to get in the first team here.
"And so rather than being in a scrum with Adam and another 1,000 players in the summer, I think it’s great that Gary Waddock likes them.
"They’re playing, they can improve and we will have a sell-on clause so if they do sell them we would be reimbursed, I guess, for their development.”
Elsewhere ahead of tonight’s 11pm deadline, Town are expected to complete the signing of 19-year-old right-back or midfielder Barry Cotter from League of Ireland Limerick, as revealed by TWTD on Friday, while Kai Brown, 16, is set to join the academy as a scholar from Grays Athletic.
Town boss McCarthy said last week he wasn’t anticipating adding any nore senior players to his squad, but that could change, particularly if anyone firms up their interest in striker David McGoldrick.
The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international is out of contract at the end of the season and we understand the Blues are willing to allow him to move on should they receive an acceptable offer.
Cardiff City - who are reported to be closing in on the £6 million signing of Bolton frontman Gary Madine - have been linked for most of the transfer window, while Birmingham, Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday have also been mentioned in connection with the former Southampton and Nottingham Forest man.
Yesterday, Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce said he isn’t looking to sign McGoldrick during this window.