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McKenna: Toto Needs to Play Football - Ipswich Town News

Blues manager Kieran McKenna says nothing’s been formalised on Toto Nsiala’s Town exit but that the centre-half has been looking at his options and conversations have taken place with the former Shrewsbury man, who is expected to join fellow League One side Fleetwood before the weekend.

Reports emerged regarding the Cod Army’s interest in the 29-year-old last night with TWTD confirming that the impending move will be a permanent one this morning.

"I haven’t seen what’s online, I don’t look at that too much, that’s the best way as a manager, I think!” McKenna joked when asked about the reports.

"Toto’s probably one in the bracket of a really experienced player, has worked hard here for a couple of years, he’s been a good lad since I came in and has been getting his down in training.

"But he’s one who’s coming towards the end of his contract, who is going to want to play football and needs to play football and wants games.

"He’s one who I think has been looking at his options and we’ve had conversations with. There’s nothing definite, nothing been announced or I’ve been told about anything being formalised as yet.

"Let’s see what happens at the moment. He’s an Ipswich Town player and we’ll see what happens in the future.”

McKenna had previously been asked whether players would have to move on before he is able to add to his squad during January.

"It’s not that anybody has to go, the club have been clear to me with that, there’s no requirement to get anybody out,” he insisted.

"The club are happy to sustain a big squad to the end of the season to make sure we have plenty of cover, so we don’t need to lose anybody.

"Even from my point of view, there’s not been anyone who has been a problem. As I’ve said all along, the spirit has been really good over the last couple of weeks, nobody has been an issue, so I’m not looking to force anybody out.

"So as long as everybody respects the group and works for the group and trains well, then they’re all a part of the club as far as I see it.

"Of course, there might come a point where players from their own perspective, if they feel like it’s going to be tough for them to get the opportunities that they want and they feel like it’s going to be better for their own careers to get games elsewhere, whether that’s in a short-term way or for the longer term, then we will have the conversation with them and we will be open.

"And if it’s the right thing for the player and the right thing for the club, then it’s a possibility that that might happen in a few cases.

"But it’s not been driven by the club, it’s not been driven by me at the moment. I’m not desperate for people to go, I’m happy working with a big squad and enjoying the challenge of keeping them all motivated and keeping them all happy and getting them what they need in training.

"I think more so from the players’ perspective, there are players who are hungry to play and it’s maybe more realistic perhaps that some of them might want to pursue other avenues and that’s a conversation we’ll have with players on an individual basis.”

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