Striker Ben Morris has returned to the Blues from his loan at Forest Green Rovers, the League Two club have announced.
Morris, 19, was on a season-long spell with the Nailsworth-based side but with the provision that it could be cut short in January.
A statement on the Rovers site says Morris and Brentford’s Theo Archibald have gone back to their parent clubs "in the interest of them receiving more game time at such a pivotal time in their development”.
Morris made only five starts and three sub appearances for Forest Green, netting his first senior goal in the League Two game at Carlisle.
The frontman, who is cup-tied and so cannot feature at Accrington Stanley at the weekend, will not be able to join another EFL club on loan for the second half of the season under FIFA's three-club rule having featured for both the Blues - a sub appearance against Blackburn on the opening day - and Forest Green. However, he could move to the National League.
Asked whether he might bring Morris, Josh Emmanuel, who is at Shrewsbury, or Luke Woolfenden, currently with Swindon, back to Portman Road to be part of his plans for the second half of the season earlier in the week, Blues boss Paul Lambert suggested otherwise: "They’re kids, you’re calling back kids to help kids. That’s a difficult situation to put anybody in.
I want to thank everyone @FGRFC_Official for my time there, especially manager and coaching staff and most importantly the fans and players for making it an enjoyable experience. I wish the lads all the success that they deserve this season 💚 #WeAreFGR– Ben Morris (@BenMorris99) January 3, 2019
"They need a little bit of experience. The younger ones need a little bit of experience to help them.
"A lot of the lads haven’t played at this level. A lot of them came from the lower leagues.
"That’s fine, but they need a bit of help with it and I think that’s what we have to get in, we have to get people who know the league, have played in it or have been around the block a little bit.”
Tristan Nydam’s loan at St Johnstone is up and Lambert hinted that the 19-year-old midfielder could be sent out for another spell rather than remain with the Blues for the same reasons.
Morris has made one start and four sub appearances for the Blues and last month signed a contract which runs to 2021 with the club having an option for a further year.
Meanwhile, the Blues are continuing to discuss striker Will Keane's loan move to Portman Road from Hull City, although we understand there is still a little way to go yet before the move is completed.
Elsewhere, former Blues central defender Joe Robinson, 22, has joined King's Lynn Town from Cambridge City.
Academy product Robinson made one senior appearance for Town, as a sub at Portsmouth in the FA Cup replay in 2016.