Former West Ham defender James Collins won’t be joining the Blues with the Welshman expected to sign for Stoke City.
Collins, 35, spent time training with Town recently but suffered a hamstring injury which put manager Paul Hurst’s interest on hold. However, in the meantime another club, believed to be the Potters, who Collins said he was in contact with at the weekend, have come in for him.
"I’m surprised we haven’t seem some news in the press in some shape or form but he won’t be signing for Ipswich Town,” Hurst confirmed.
The Blues boss admits he’s disappointed not to have added the former Aston Villa man to his squad.
"I’d made no secret that I would have liked to have tried to do something there and I stick by the decision that he wasn’t fit at the time and I would have liked him to have proved that,” he added.
"And again that’s trying to make the right decision for the football club. If what I’m led to believe happens, then I can understand it, it’s not an issue on that side. But like I said, he was here and genuinely did enjoy his time here, that’s what he said to me.
"Thankfully we’ve got three lads [Luke Chambers, Toto Nsiala and Matthew Pennington] and I’ve got a big decision to make [on Saturday].
"But ultimately if we had added another one in to that it makes it even more difficult. If they all stay fit and in form, we haven’t got a problem, the danger is if they’re not, whether that’s injury or they’re out of form then it would have been nice to have that extra one.”
Hurt says Collins didn’t reject Town’s offer as such: "No, I think in fairness the offer was common knowledge between the relevant parties. It was more about just being fit and in between another club showing an interest.
"I don’t think it’s right for me to [name the club] but I don’t think it’ll be long unless something’s gone wrong. I haven’t had a message or a call to say, ‘Can I come back’ or anything like that.”
Hurst says Collins’s decision to move elsewhere wasn’t linked to the money which might be on offer: "Again, without being personal to James, I’m not sure that it’ll be a financial reason that he’s not joining us.”