The Blues are being linked with an alternative swap deal involving keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and Blackburn Rovers striker Joe Nuttall.
While Bialkowski is understood to have been at Millwall today with his loan switch "at 99 per cent”, according to reports in Poland, and Elliott at Town to complete the formalities relating to his switch to the Blues, Alan Nixon of The Sun is claiming another swap involving the keeper and a striker could be possible.
According to the report, the Polish international has been offered to Blackburn with Blues boss Paul Lambert keen to land striker Nuttall ahead of Blackpool, who were linked with the 22-year-old earlier in the week.
While the deal which would see Bialkowski join Millwall for the season appears nearing its conclusion, Elliott’s move to the Blues still had a fair way to go as of earlier this evening.
As reported earlier, the 28-year-old was at the club this afternoon to undergo his medical - which is likely to pay particular scrutiny to the grade one hamstring strain he suffered at the start of pre-season last month - and to complete the other formalities relating to his switch.
The fate of two deals is understood to be linked, while Town's loan move for Wolves keeper Will Norris - also at Portman Road this afternoon - is believed to be done and dusted but won’t be rubber-stamped until Bialkowski has departed.
Ipswich. Blackburn the poss alternative for Bialkowski as Lambert wants to beat Blackpool to Nuttall. Two poss swaps at once. Heads gone.– Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) July 29, 2019
While Nuttall may well be a player who has interested Lambert, the ongoing swap deal with Millwall is well advanced and - barring any significant stumbling block emerging - looks set to be completed at some point tomorrow when Norris’s loan switch should also be confirmed.
Whether Bialkowski, who has said he and his family are settled in Suffolk on a number of occasions, would entertain a switch would see him almost certainly need to relocate to the North-West is also a moot point.
Bury-born Nuttall, who is 6ft tall, started his career with Manchester City’s youth set-up before moving on to Aberdeen, during which time he had spells on loan at Stranraer and Dumbarton.
He joined Blackburn in 2017 and has made nine starts and 28 sub appearances for Tony Mowbray’s side, scoring eight goals.