Town have been linked with unlikely interest in former striker Jordan Rhodes.
The 30-year-old has had a frustrating time at Sheffield Wednesday - who he joined from Middlesbrough for £10 million in the summer of 2017 following a loan spell - and scored only three times last season, a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest, having spent the previous year on loan at Norwich.
His departure ahead of 2020/21 wouldn’t be a surprise, however, according to The Sun on Sunday’s Alan Nixon, the Owls aren’t prepared to let him move on.
However, if they were to relent, it's claimed the Blues would be keen to bring him back to Portman Road, where the Scotland international started his career.
With Rhodes, who played for Town boss Paul Lambert at Blackburn, understood to be on £40,000-a-week at Hillsborough, it's speculated that the Owls would settle the remaining year on his contract and release him on a free transfer for a deal to have any likelihood of happening.
And even then it would appear highly unlikely that the Blues could offer Rhodes terms which he might find acceptable given the limits imposed by the League One salary cap. It also seems likely Championship clubs would be interested if Rhodes were to be available on a free.
Sheff Wed. Won’t let Jordan Rhodes go. Ipswich would take him back.– Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) August 16, 2020
Town don’t currently appear to be in the market for another striker at present with ex-Portsmouth frontman Oli Hawkins close to becoming one of three signings along with keeper David Cornell and left-back Stephen Ward early in the week ahead.
As previously reported, all three have agreed terms with only loose ends remaining to be tied up on those deals.
Kayden Jackson has been mentioned in connection with a number of Championship clubs over the summer, however, Town are believed to want to hold on to last season’s 11-goal joint-top scorer, despite the 26-year-old having turned down an improved contract recently.
James Norwood, who also netted 11 times last season, and Freddie Sears are the club's other senior strikers.
Rhodes, who joined the Blues as a 15-year-old from Barnsley for £5,000 after his father Andy became keeper-coach at Portman Road, was controversially sold by Roy Keane in the summer of 2009 having made only 10 sub appearances, scoring one goal.
After top-ups and 10 per cent of the sell-on when the former Kesgrave High School pupil moved from the Terriers, where he had enjoyed a hugely successful spell, to Blackburn for £8 million in August 2012, the fee Town eventually received moved close to £1.5 million.