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Town Closing in On Harrop Loan Signing - Ipswich Town News

TWTD understands that Town are closing in on the loan signing of midfielder or wideman Josh Harrop from Preston and the move could be completed today.

The 25-year-old, who prefers to play as a number 10, is due to travel to Suffolk today to finalise the formalities relating to the deal.

As reported on Thursday, Preston's recruitment of another midfielder, Ben Whiteman from Doncaster, has freed up Harrop to make the switch with discussions having continued since that deal was completed.

Stockport-born Harrop, who is understood to have been the player Stuart Taylor said Town hoped to sign before the Swindon match, joined Preston in June 2017 having come through the youth system at Manchester United, where he made one Premier League start for the Red Devils in a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace on the final day of 2016/17 and scored the opening goal.

Harrop, who is 5ft 9in tall, has made 39 starts and 55 sub appearances for Preston, scoring 13 times.

However, this season Harrop has made four starts, one in the Championship, and four appearances from the bench, scoring once. He was left out of the 20-man squad which lost 2-0 at Bristol City at the weekend.

Capped three times by England’s U20s, Harrop signed a new contract at Deepdale which runs to 2023 in August.

At 25, Harrop counts as a senior player in terms of the salary cap with the club having a limit of 22 players aged over 21.

In addition to Harrop, the Blues are also eyeing Luke Thomas, who is looking to move to play more games having had limited opportunities at Barnsley.

Another player TWTD has learned Town were keen on is 18-year-old Manchester City winger Morgan Rogers, who opted to join Lincoln City on loan a fortnight ago.

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