David Unsworth's agent Hayden Evans says the Portsmouth defender will not be moving to Town on a season-long loan. Evans says the only way the Blues will sign the 31-year-old is on a permanent deal.
The agent says there has been interest in Unsworth, who has reportedly been told he has no future at Fratton Park: "There have been enquiries, but he's coming back to Pompey on Friday for training.
"David has a year left on his contract at Pompey, and the Premier League is really where he feels he belongs.
"We're waiting to hear from Pompey themselves, which is where all the enquiries are going because he's contracted.
"Ipswich were keen to extend the loan deal, which would mean him going there for his last year of contract on loan, but unless they secure something permanently then that's not the one.
"There is a new manager [at Portsmouth] and obviously a lot of the old regime, so we don't know if David's face fits or not. He's just been told to report to training on Friday.
"If the right bids come in that Pompey are prepared to accept, at that stage it's over to us to talk to the clubs.
"But clearly he has a year left at a club in the Premiership - he isn't going to want to drop to a club in the Championship.
"We're not unduly worried if he goes back to Pompey. People tend to forget, he's not 34 - he's only 31 this year. There's plenty left in him yet."
Evans says Southampton boss Harry Redknapp, who signed Unsworth when at Portsmouth, showed interest in taking the one-time England international to St Mary's earlier in the year: "Last January there was intimations that they might be interested, but it was felt that it might be far too volatile at that time to pursue that line of enquiry, so it never happened.
"That would interest us. One of the main reasons he came to Pompey was Harry, as some of his best football was played under him at West Ham.
"So it would be nice to think that Harry might want to talk to him but there have been no conversations at all at this time."
Town hoped that Unsworth, who was at Portman Road for three months last season, would join them on a season-long loan. The chances of the former Everton man signing for the Blues now appear to depend on Portsmouth settling his current contract, no better offers being on the table and a permanent contract at Portman Road being agreed.