TWTD understands Town have blocked Derby County’s attempt to sign Blues loanee Matthew Pennington on loan for the second half of the season.
The Rams were keen for Pennington’s season-long loan at Town from Everton to be ended prematurely to allow him to move to Pride Park with a view to signing the centre-half or right-back on a permanent basis in the summer.
However, as is common with loans, all three parties, the two clubs and the player, have to agree to the loan being curtailed and the Blues were unwilling to cut short the 24-year-old’s spell, despite the recruitment of right-back James Bree from Aston Villa earlier this evening.
As things stand, barring a late and currently unexpected move prior to the 11pm deadline, the deal to sign Bree concludes the transfer window business at Portman Road, both incoming and outgoing, the full-back having become Paul Lambert’s seventh January addition.
Bree's recruitment and Pennington staying at Town means the Blues have six loanees with only five permitted in a matchday squad, a situation which Lambert doesn't see as ideal.
Speaking at his press conference this afternoon, he said: "To me it shows up the loan system for what it is. It’s incredible, you have maybe six loans or seven loans but you can only have five in a matchday squad.
"That’s why I said before that the loan system isn’t healthy. Maybe one or two is totally fine, but not this because you’re always having to manage that scenario.
"For a manager it’s not a great scenario to be in. But by the same token you have to get guys that you think can try and help as well but you’ve also got the disappointment of leaving one or two out and then clubs can ask why they’re not playing.
"It creates something that you could do without and that’s why I’ve said the club’s got to get back to getting its own players, whether it’s young players coming through, great, even better if that happens. Or we have to go and try and buy. One or two loans is fine but this scenario is no good.”
He added: "Six players, seven players, in a matchday squad you can only pick five. The clubs get involved saying, ‘Why’s he not playing, why’s this one not playing?’.
"You’ve got all those sort of things, that’s why the loan system for me [doesn’t work]. One or two maximum, not more. But that’s the way the club is at the minute, but we’ll hopefully rectify that.
"The minuses outweigh the pluses when you have too many loans, I think that’s the way to view it."
Aside from Bree's signing, the only deal involving Town on deadline day was Shane McLoughlin's departure for AFC Wimbledon.
Elsewhere, reports linking Ellis Harrison with Portsmouth came to nothing, Pompey signed James Vaughan on loan from Wigan, while Barry Cotter was reported to have turned down a move to League Two Swindon and the Blues are believed to have rebuffed a Dundee United loan move for young defender Corrie Ndaba.