The Blues, Reading and Sheffield United are reported to be keeping an eye on Yeovil Town left-back Nathan Smith. The 23-year-old is out of contract this summer, having done well with the Glovers since signing from non-league Potters Bar Town in March 2008.

The 6ft tall left-back is understood to have been offered new terms at Huish Park but is likely to move on if clubs at a higher level firm up their interest.

Previously with Enfield and Waltham Forest, Newcastle-born Smith has made 66 starts and 10 sub appearances with Yeovil, scoring one goal. Prior to winning his professional deal, the attack-minded, pacey full-back worked in IT.

A left-back is very much on Roy Keane’s summer wish-list to compete with Shane O’Connor, Ben Thatcher having left the club midway through the season and David Wright set to leave when his contract is up at the end of June.

Keane has also said that a couple of out-of-contract players are amongst the “four or five” signings he is targeting.

Photo: Action Images

bradforblues added 12:48 - May 8 can't see it purely because we have a young left back in O'Connor, can't see the point in 2 inexperienced, young left backs ??
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bedsitfc added 12:50 - May 8 may be ok as i think o'connor's best position is midfield
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bradforblues added 12:57 - May 8 on another note i think we should go for Bogdanovic from Barnsley, i think he's on a free and Sheff U are in talks, 14 goals for a struggling side !!!
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Nazemariner added 13:07 - May 8 Agreed! Bogdanovic looks like a good freebie to me.
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pabloc added 13:11 - May 8 i think bogdanovic would do a good job,the sort of player that likes to get stuck in.
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TractorBoyOlly added 13:18 - May 8 No thanks, experience is what we need and playing Prem reserve/champ football.
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Bergholtblue added 13:19 - May 8 Jay McEveley has been released by Derby. Watch this space!
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PimsNumber1 added 13:27 - May 8 That has been discussed before about mc Everley. Absolute ey-ore . Gets sent off alot as he has no talent. A bit like bruce and Trotter, "men" who get stuck in but technically inept with their timing Our Connor made this bloke look very very limited when we played them and won the other week
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Suffolk_n_Good added 13:53 - May 8 eh up! "linked with" player number 7!! I'm closing in on my target of 50 (before the new season kicks off) nicely!!
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Yallop added 14:44 - May 8 I must have missed Trotter getting stuck in. More like a big pansy
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 14:52 - May 8 sounds decent, although think we are more likely to get someone with a bit more experience.....also would just like to add to those calling for bogdanovic, didnt a certain tamas priskin score 14 or so goals for a struggling watford side!?!? difference is bogdanovic is on a free, but id be hesitant to jump on that bandwagon!!
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ChambersM added 15:36 - May 8 oh great
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Dalty added 15:42 - May 8 Sounds good: young, pacey, plays in a position we're short in, hungry to succeed at a higher level and not a big risk financially. A couple of players in this mould with a couple of experienced heads will see us right this summer.
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PimsNumber1 added 16:46 - May 8 yallop , true . what i really meant was he and Bruce like a two footed challenge ( and get or nearly get sent off ) . hence the comment about lack of timing aswell.
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jamie22 added 17:31 - May 8 I would happily give Bogdanovic a go! I won't be getting excited about anyone until the papers are being signed because we will be linked with loads of players, as stated by suffolk n good!
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buryblue77 added 19:38 - May 8 I don't usually make negative posts and this is about as negative as I get, but I'm not sure a 23 year old (who should be established as a first team player at that age, and if was that good probably wouldn't still be at Yeovil) is the answer to our left back spot, or the calibre of player I'd like to see brought into the club. Having said that I'm making assumptions based on the club he plays for and know nothing about him. Could be a real gem, hopefully!

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Dalty added 21:26 - May 8 I see where you're coming from buryblue but different players mature at different times. There are numerous examples of players who've graduated from non-league and stepped up (Kevin Phillips, Stuart Pearce, Les Ferdinand, Jimmy Bullard etc). I'd generally prefer we sign these type of players than Premier League rejects who look upon Ipswich as an easy ride. A friend of mine who's a Newcastle fan prefers their current transfer policy (signing young players for whom Newcastle is their big stage) than the previous one (Chelsea rejects looking for a big pay day). This type of strategy is not a million miles away from the one that Burley took us to the Prem with a decade ago and worked for the Toon pretty well last term.

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depressed added 23:02 - May 8 Yallop..Save the bitchy remarks for the opposition, not one of our own !
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buryblue77 added 00:50 - May 9 Dalty, correct indeed. And as I said hopefully (if this story is true) he turns out to be a real quality player, Marcus Stewart for us is another good example. Rated yes at Huddersfield, but did anyone really look at him until we purchased him at what age? 26/27? And he certainly helped us into the Premier League!
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arc added 01:05 - May 9 Is he big? Is he experienced? Is he a character? Is he, in short, A Man??
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bennyblue added 07:18 - May 9 what is a yeovil ?
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Johnny_Boy added 07:40 - May 9 Computer Glove
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AlwaysBlue added 08:48 - May 9 actually impressed that we're now being linked with lower league players - there are some good lads out there. lower-league players also appreciate playing in championship more than someone of same level or who's dropped down from prem, thus leading to more passion. can't say i've heard of this guy and as he's left sided full-back not sure why we're tracking him when we have shane o'connor. surely the more immediate concern must be right-back as d wright and rosenior have been shown the door and smith struggles with right-back as he prefers centre-half.

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tom_the_blue added 10:55 - May 9 I dont think you can say that all players who drop down from the prem wont be hungry to succeed. I mean, look at Leadbitter, very passionate.
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Dalty added 11:50 - May 9 buryblue - Absolutely right about Stewart, the fee raised a few eyebrows at the time (mine included!) but as you say, he turned out to be a gem of a signing. AlwaysBlue - Agree with what you say about going for lower league players. As I've said previously on here, I think a combination of these type of signings, along with players with Prem pedigree still hungry to succeed like the above-mentioned Leadbitter would be a good transfer policy. Also agree with you that we do need a right-back and I'm sure Keane is also looking to address this over the summer. Though we have O'Connor, we do also need competition on that flank and if we did sign this guy O'Connor could play in the same team as a left-midfielder. O'Connor, along with the returning Civelli, could give us the natural width we missed most of last season in left-midfield.

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