Town target Colin Healy's form for Cork City this season has been "unbelievable”, according to a journalist who watches the Irish side on a regular basis. Healy seems set to join the Blues in the next few days after pulling out of a switch to Hartlepool United.

John Riordan of the Irish Examiner told TWTD: "Healy has been unbelievable for us. Consistently the man of the match.

”Due to injuries, manager Paul Doolin was forced into using a 4-3-3 formation. So, by accident rather than design, Healy found himself free to roam with the other two midfielders sat in behind him. As a result, he popped up everywhere, breaking up possession while also becoming our most creative player.

”He's a Championship player, no doubt. Obviously coming from the League of Ireland, that puts question marks over him: is he a promotion player or not? You can never tell. For every Kevin Doyle, there are plenty of Jason Byrnes.”

TWTD Message Boarder and Cork City supporter RedXccfc has also been impressed with the Irish international during his time at Turners Cross: "Colin can do very well with Ipswich. I have seen enough of the guy playing in the last two years and enough of Ipswich to be a good judge.

"So, for those of you who think he is not a good signing, let me assure you he is. A player of the same calibre signing from a fellow Championship club could cost up to £1 million.

"He is a very experienced player who had problems with injury and this is why he returned home to Ireland. He has been injury free now for a good while and I can tell you he is a terrific guy and a smashing footballer."

Healy was due in Suffolk for talks last night with a medical also having been pencilled in for today if discussions progress as expected.

Elsewhere this morning, one tabloid again links Manchester United right-back and former Town loanee Danny Simpson with a return to Portman Road and claims that the Dean Whitehead deal could be revived.

Simpson is one of a number of right-backs to have been linked with the Blues in recent weeks and will be well known to Roy Keane from his time at Old Trafford and to other members of the Blues coaching staff from the 22-year-old's spell at Town in 2008.

A renewed move for Whitehead seems unlikely with Stoke and a second Premier League club believed to be interested in the Sunderland central midfielder, who recently turned down a joint switch to the Blues also involving Daryl Murphy.

Manager Roy Keane has subsequently said he will not be returning for Murphy and so it seems unlikely that he would go back for Whitehead, even if the ex-Oxford United man fails to sign for either of the two interested Premier League sides.

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