Town boss Roy Keane says he is closing in on his midfield replacement for the injured David Norris. Sunday’s Irish newspapers reported that the Blues are keen to bring forward November’s proposed signing of Bohemians youngster Gary Deegan.

Keane says he is narrowing his focus, but refused to be drawn on names: “There’s one I’ve got in mind.

“Sometimes you home in on the player you potentially really can get. There’s a lot of midfielders I admire out there, the Gerrards, the Lampards, but I’m not sure we’re in a position go and get them just yet.

”A lot of other managers speak about players at other football clubs, but I try not to do it.”

Deegan appeared likely to join the Blues in November when the Irish season ends, along with team-mate Brian Murphy, who TWTD revealed last Thursday is set to sign a pre-contract agreement with Town. However, reports in Ireland yesterday claimed that the Blues are looking to hasten his switch.

Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon wants to keep hold of the 21-year-old for as long as possible, with his club chasing three trophies at present, and has put a fee of €500,000 (£430,000) on his player’s head.

Town are unlikely to want to pay a fee of that magnitude for someone they could pick up for significantly less in a few weeks' time. Despite Deegan being out of contract in November, Bohemians and former club Shelbourne would both be due compensation under FIFA rules if he were to leave at the end of his deal. Wolves and Newcastle have also been linked.

One player Keane admits is unlikely to return to Portman Road is Giovani Dos Santos: “I’ve spoken to Harry Redknapp a number of times about one or two different players over the last few weeks and when Gio went back at the end of last season I always thought it would be difficult to get him back.

“When he first came here I raised my eyebrows thinking it was a good catch for Ipswich because he’s a talented boy.

”But you never know what might happen in the next week or two. We might have to wait until the last day to see what can happen, it’s different with loans anyway.

“As much as we’re homing in on one or two players, you have to be open-minded. Sometimes you make a call to a manager and hope he’ll get back to you. Some do, some don’t, and fingers crossed one or two might get back to me and a deal which we thought was dead might suddenly happen in the next week or so.”

Elsewhere, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has confirmed that Town’s attempt to sign striker Daryl Murphy is back on with discussions in progress: “Talks are ongoing as I understand it and we will just have to wait and see if these talks come to anything.”

Murphy was close to joining the Blues in a joint £5 million deal involving Dean Whitehead earlier in the summer and even got as far as having a medical at Portman Road.

That move collapsed when Hull City came in for the frontman, but talks between Murphy and the Tigers broke down and he is still at the Stadium of Light. Whitehead subsequently moved to Stoke.

TWTD revealed that the move was back on almost a fortnight ago, with a national newspaper incorrectly claiming that a deal had been done last week.

Keane says there have been no further enquiries regarding his players in recent days, but expects one or two departures as he wheels and deals in the final couple of weeks of the transfer window.

Photo: Action Images

Wallingford_Boy added 11:40 - Aug 17 All sounds encouraging to me, keep at it Keano and tie up the Murphy deal ASAP - we need some creative OOMPPHH up front!!
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blue_nose added 11:56 - Aug 17 We do not need creative OOMPPHH up front! We have the strikers we NEED!! WE NEED CREATIVE OOMPPHH IN MIDFIELD !!!!!!
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TractorBoy added 11:58 - Aug 17 We need players with a Championship/Premiership pedigree! McAuley needs to be dropped for an experienced defencive 'rock' and we need a Gerrard-style midfielder who can be creative and chip in a few goals. UTT
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Wallingford_Boy added 11:59 - Aug 17 Nope, disagree, we have Priskin/Wickham, both who can put the ball into the net, but only with the right partner — Murphy is so much more than a goalscorer. The only thing our midfield is lacking is a tough tackling ball winner.
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devontractorboy added 12:05 - Aug 17 Agree with Bluenose, Our strikers would grow in confidence with the right service from midfield, we get into attacking positions and the final ball lets us down. Midfield is now a priority with Chuck Norris out. Also get Mc Auley out and play Bruce in his place, we might start to have some confidence then which we can build on.
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cruproshentivity added 12:22 - Aug 17 We definitely need the midfielder. It was always Dean Whitehead we needed more than Daryl Murphy when the joint deal was on - wish we'd got Whitehead after watching the performance on Saturday, especially with Norris out. Still, let's not throw the toys out the pram yet. Keano looks like he might have one or two things up his sleeve. Gio? We wish!
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Lightningboy added 12:33 - Aug 17 McAuley shouldn't be captain - full stop...I'dve gone for Norris pre-injury but would now opt for Richard Wright or Bruce.
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motch2009 added 12:35 - Aug 17 We desperatley need a top notch centre midfielder, as many ppl seem to agree we have good strikers just not getting enough chances hence the need for sum1 who can not only break up play but also create chances. these are hard to find tho, how bout bodde at swansea? may be costly tho, as for defence ours is average so a tough commanding centre back would be good with bruce/pim alongside him with mccauley as (an exspensive) back up. thoughts....

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TractorMan added 12:41 - Aug 17 Bruce makes way too many mistakes and then gets the fans going by trying to make last ditch tackles to get out of the mess he's landed himself in. McCauley is a great defender at this level as we saw the 2nd half of last season. As with any team we need a defensive minded midfielder in front of the back four to allow the full backs to push on and someone who can pick a pass. I'd happily see Garvan back tomorrow in the middle with us reverting to a 442.

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Eireannach_gorm added 12:56 - Aug 17 McAuley is a poor defender as we saw in the first two matches of this season. Agree that we need someone like Whitehead, an experienced pro that has a bit in the physical department and make his presence felt (Player manager?).
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BrightBlue added 13:04 - Aug 17 My quess at starting line up for tomorrow is: - R Wright Bruce McCauly Pim D Wright Walters Garvan Quinner Martin Priskin Wickham
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streety86 added 13:21 - Aug 17 Hopefully he'll be better than healy, he was shocking on saturday
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svendust added 13:22 - Aug 17 why would he drop Delaney, is he injured? If we got Murphy that would allow Martin to move in the centre, then we would just need someone to fill Norris' role and we're sorted.
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OakingtonBlue added 13:37 - Aug 17 My guess would be... Wright Wright Pim McAuley Delaney Walters Garvan Trotter Martin Stead Wickham
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bleedblue added 13:37 - Aug 17 I get so frustrated reading the comments some of you mugs write on here..... Yes McAuley has had a bad start in the first 2 games, but last year he was by far one of the best defenders in the league, he had a bad start then too - remember?! So how people can call for his head so early is just pathetic.
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Havit_Blue added 13:44 - Aug 17 Don't think Wickham is here. England Duties.....Delaney must be replaced .. Even playing Peters Left back which would also give us the overlap option.. Stead / Priskin up front. Walters / Martin wide with Trotter and Garvin Mid
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Cardinals added 13:49 - Aug 17 bleedblue, McAuley one of the best defenders in the league!!!!? you are having a laugh! Nothing more to say on that matter but to state once again you are having a laugh!
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Blue_Balls added 14:03 - Aug 17 Bruce as captain?? The only reason people hold Bruce in such high esteem is because they wanted to use the whole contract saga last season to knock Jim on the head with. Actually watch him play next time and see what an average player he really is. He's made the odd saving tackle when he was the one out of position in the first place.
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JSmith added 14:22 - Aug 17 we cant wait for mcauley to have his 'bad games' we need someone who will be consistent.also i think stead should start upfront with either wickham or priskin because he everytime we go 4-4-2 he gets subbed but last year he played well next to someone.
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motch2009 added 14:31 - Aug 17 JSmith i agree Stead is twice the player with a partner
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Trickster added 14:32 - Aug 17 McAuley dosen't get the credit he deserves. Bruce is an alright player, sometimes has the odd bad games a few times but is still a good player. Can i just ask WHY THE FLIP ARENT WE PLAYING GARVAN. hes a great plater why dont we just play him insted of wasting money on some midfielder who is not the standard we need to get to the prem. well anyway all hail RK we trust you

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jamie22 added 14:43 - Aug 17 I agree with bluebleed about McAuley to some extent, he was very good last season, not the best but very much up there, and Bruce is average, i would rather have Pim, his long balls are all we have for getting the ball up the pitch atm! Do not want 4-3-3 again. Delaney may be awful at getting rid however, only once did the defender get past him on the right. Trotter is the creativity in the team, he just had a very poor game and didn't get into it, we saw against Coventry he's got good vision.

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welshtractorboy added 14:51 - Aug 17 Check ot Steve Bruce comments on SKY latest football transfers,Town back in for Murphy?
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Wozza added 14:58 - Aug 17 It's got to go 4-4-2 if the current formation doesn't start reaping rewards soon. Agreewe need to make a signing in the centre of midfield. If we were onlyto make one more signing this year that is the position I would like to see filled, think we're finfor striking options imo
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hadleighboyblue added 15:07 - Aug 17 According to reports on tuesday , Colback and Quinn had good games . If Colback is as highly rated by Sunderland as we are told , he must be worth a try. We will need some battlers in midfield on tuesday as Warnock will have his lot up for it . Midfield was awful on saturday , Murphy doesn't sound like the answer to our problems. McAuley was very poor at Coventry and on saturday - not convinced he is right for captain. With Wickham missing , we need to play Priskin from the start.

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