Town boss Paul Lambert has been impressed with central defender Toto Nsiala’s displays since he has come back into the team recently and believes the DR Congo international has what it takes to play in League One if the Blues are, as now seems certain, relegated this season.
Nsiala, 27, was a regular in the Blues side early on in the camaign having followed his former Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst to Portman Road.
But after Lambert took over following Hurst’s sacking in October, Nsiala had to wait until the January FA Cup tie at Accrington before be played under the new manager.
Since then he has been in and out of the side, making three starts and four sub appearances in the league.
"I think Toto’s got better since we’ve come in,” Lambert said. "I think he was maybe a little bit erratic when we first came in, I thought he had a mistake in him.
"But since we’ve played him the big lad has done ever so well. The great thing about Toto is that he missed football for a couple of years and then he came back and started to make a career for himself. The big lad’s had ups and downs but it’s great he’s come back.
"He’s a lovely kid as well, a really nice lad and he gives you absolutely everything he’s got in his body and I thought on Saturday he was very, very good, Toto.
"If you ask me if I think he can do it in League One, absolutely, I wouldn’t have a problem with him.”