Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed the Blues are in discussions regarding striker Macauley Bonne, who he says he wants to be a big part of the team going forward.
It’s known that QPR are able to recall Bonne from his season-long loan, although manager Mark Warburton has previously played down the chances of that happening and the player himself has said he’d not be happy to be called back from his hometown club, while fans are keen to see the 11-goal top scorer signed permanently.
Elsewhere, Sunderland and Wigan are reported to have shown an interest in the one-time Colchester United frontman.
Asked if the Blues have heard anything from QPR or from Middlesbrough or Dijon, the parent clubs of fellow loanees Hayden Coulson and Bersant Celina, or whether he expects any discussions regarding their futures during January, McKenna said: "I think Macauley is one the club are in constant contact with.
"Obviously, he is having a really good season and he’s a really important player for us. He’s had a really good first half of the season and wants to be here.
"He’s an Ipswich boy, and it probably means the world to him, so again, we want him to be a big part of the team going forward. The club are in discussions and we hope that he can remain with us.
"Hayden has been injured since I arrived here, so he spent some time back in Middlesbrough getting some treatment on his injury, but he is now back here training hard and is working his way towards fitness.
"Bersant is another player who is a big talent. He’s a player I knew when he was first in the youth team at Man City from playing against them at Tottenham. So, I’m fully aware of what he can do and what he can bring to the team.
"Again, he’s had some issues with illness, some issues with injury and he’s back training now, and we want to build him back up.
"Build his fitness and his robustness up and find a way for him to be effective within the team, and hope that he can have a big part to play for us in the second half of the season.”
Asked whether he hopes that all three will still be Town players, either permanently or on loan, come the end of the window, McKenna responded: "Yes.”