Town manager Jim Magilton welcomed his first signing Alex Bruce to Portman Road at a Thursday afternoon press conference. Bruce has joined the Blues on a three-year contract, moving from Birmingham City on free transfer.
Magilton and Bruce were joined by chief executive Derek Bowden and chairman David Sheepshanks who described Magilton's first signing as "a special day” for the club.
Magilton was thrilled to get his man: "I'm absolutely delighted that he's agreed to come and play for us. He's a motivated individual, a multi-talented young man who can play anywhere across the back four and a holding role in midfield, and we will use him in every single position.
"It's difficult enough making a living in this game, but when your father is such a prominent figure it takes a bit of guts, a bit of determination to reach the level which he has reached. Any good side is built on solid foundations at the back and I think he will bring that. He wants to be a top class footballer and we can help him get there.
"We knew of his availability right at the start of pre-season. We watched him in pre-season games and he's someone I liked.”
Magilton says he wasn't concerned that he would go into the season without additions to his squad: "I wasn't worried because I have full faith in the squad that I have, but it's important when you bring a player in he brings the right attitude in to the football club and in Alex we've done that. It's nice that the players can see we're looking to take the club forward and improve it and that's what I think Alex will bring.
"He brings in an adaptability that we haven't had before. He's a defender who enjoys the art of defending and if we need him in midfield, he'll play in midfield, but as a rule he'll play in the back four.”
Magilton laughed off suggestions that Portman Road is becoming Suffolk's Irish quarter: "You don't have to be Irish to lay here! That was a bolt from the blue. For all my vetting and investigations into Alex, I missed out that he's played for the Republic of Ireland U21s and I'm very surprised, knowing his dad, that he was allowed to play for them. But I'm delighted, it's an added bonus!”
Chairman Sheepshanks showed reporters a dossier on Bruce which he said was typical of the depth of research which will be carried out on transfer targets in the future, more comprehensive than under previous management regimes.
Bruce himself is pleased with his new club: "I'm absolutely delighted. It's a good opportunity for me. Once I spoke to Jim and everyone else at the club there was only one decision I could make.
”Everyone I've spoken has given me a glowing reference about the place, so I'm just looking forward to getting started.”
Part of the deal with Birmingham is that Bruce cannot play in the game at St Andrew's on September 16th. Bruce's old club will also have a sell-on but received no fee for the 21-year-old.
Chief executive Derek Bowden has had a hectic week on the transfer front and expects things to continue in the same vein: "We'll be busy the rest of today, tomorrow, over the weekend and probably into next week. It is a very active time in the transfer window and we've got some money to spend, as we've said. We've been cautious and careful how we've spent and hopefully we'll have one or two more coming in as well as Alex.
"Talks are continuing with Dan Harding, personal terms more than anything else. As we speak he's driving down for a medical which should be completed either late tonight or tomorrow morning. We're hopeful that we can conclude something tomorrow, perhaps not in time for Saturday, as midday is the registration deadline, but we might.
"As for Paul McShane, there's nothing in great detail yet because we know Manchester United require a fee and we're not in a position to pay the kind of fee that they want at the moment, but in a day or two's time we might.
"It's fair to say that if Ian Westlake completes his move to Leeds then the chances of signing Paul McShane would be greatly increased. But whether he would be the first choice or not is Jim's decision, because there are one or two other players in the frame who might take precedent over Paul McShane. Certainly if the deal goes through with Ian and Dan then we'll have some cash for fees and also for player wages.”
Bowden says that Town aren't close to a deal with former Canary Chris Sutton: "It's largely speculation, perhaps because he's back down in Norwich. He hasn't been at the club.”
The Blues have received no more bids other than the four previously revealed. We understand that Westlake's valuation was set at £700,000, £450,000 in cash plus Harding valued at £250,000.