Chief executive Derek Bowden says the Blues should name their new international scout within the next week. A number of candidates have been interviewed as the club look to add to their scouting staff.

Bowden told the club site: "We hope to have someone in place within the next week. Interviews have taken place and are taking place with a number of candidates and we are closing in on a decision being made."

Innumerable candidates have been linked with the position in recent weeks including former Blue David Geddis, ex-scouts Simon Hunt and Romeo Zondervan and Borussia Mönchengladbach chief scout Luuk Balkestein, while Jim Magilton was keen to add one-time Southampton European scout Terry Cooper to his scouting staff when he took over as manager at Portman Road two years ago.

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