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Blues Eyeing Keeper Southwood - Ipswich Town News

Town are understood to be eyeing free agent former Reading keeper Luke Southwood, who spent last season on loan with Cheltenham in League One.

The 25-year-old spent the whole of 2022/23 with the Robins playing every league game and a further five in cup competitions.

Northern Ireland international Southwood came through the Royals’ academy and made 30 starts for the Berkshire club prior to being let go at the end of the season following their relegation from the Championship.

Now, according to Jon Palmer, GloucestershireLive's Cheltenham reporter, Town are showing significant interest in Southwood. Other clubs at Championship and League One levels are also likely to be keen.

Southwood’s spell with Cheltenham was the latest of four loans, the keeper having previously spent stints at Bath City, Eastleigh and Hamilton Academical in Scotland.

Oxford-born Southwood,who is 6ft tall, was capped by England at U19 and U20 levels before switching allegiance to Northern Ireland, for whom he qualifies via a grandmother, making his first and so-far only international appearance as a half-time sub in the 3-1 victory in Luxembourg in March last year.

Town could well be in the market for another keeper this summer with second-choice Vaclav Hladky having been linked with moves in previous windows.

At 32, the Czech may be on the lookout for a club where he can play more regularly than he has since moving to Portman Road in the summer of 2021.

Last season, Hladky made one league appearance, off the bench in the promotion-confirming 6-0 home victory over Exeter City.

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