Striker Jordan Rhodes has returned to the Blues after his month on loan at Rochdale. The Town frontman, who scored twice in five games for Dale, goes into the reserves squad for Tuesday's match at home to Southend (KO 7pm), but could return to the League Two side before the weekend.

Rochdale assistant manager David Flitcroft says the situation will be clearer in a few days: "We will know more by Thursday. We are into a situation where we are having a look around to see the other options available to us and speaking to the chairman, who has been away on holiday, to see where the squad is sat and where we are at with everything.

"We are going to assess things over a couple of days and are not going to rush into anything. We will speak to Jordan, speak to Ipswich Town and just see how things pan out with it over the next two or three days."

Central defender Pim Balkestein is also set to return to action in the reserves after his groin injury, while Dean Bowditch is OK after a hamstring problem.

Reserves squad: Supple, Balkestein, Robinson, Watson, Haynes, Reason, Upson, Lambe, Clemo, Bowditch, Rhodes, Murphy, Daniels, Ward, Cawley, Ainsley.

Photo: Action Images

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