TWTD understands that veteran Crystal Palace midfielder Shaun Derry is on Town manager Roy Keane’s summer wish-list, while Sheffield Wednesday are showing renewed interest in striker Pablo Couñago. The Blues boss has said on a number of occasions that he wants to add experienced Championship campaigners to his squad and 32-year-old Palace skipper Derry very much fits the bill.

The Nottingham-born defensive midfielder is out of contract at Selhurst Park with the administration-hit Eagles unlikely to be able to match any offer the Blues might have put on the table. Keane has said that “one or two” of his “four or five” summer targets are players available on free transfers.

Derry, 6ft tall, started his career with hometown club Notts County before moving on to Sheffield United for £700,000 in January 1998. Two years later, a £300,000 deal took him to Portsmouth, then in 2002 he joined Palace for a first spell for £400,000.

Having been on loan at Nottingham Forest during the Eagles’ 2004/05 Premier League campaign, Derry eventually signed for Leeds for £250,000 late in that season.

In November 2008, he moved back to Palace on loan, making the switch a permanent one the following January for an undisclosed fee.

Derry came close to joining the Blues on loan in November 2004 during Joe Royle’s time as Town manager, but Palace preferred to do a permanent deal with Leeds.

Meanwhile, striker Pablo Couñago is understood to again be interesting newly-relegated Sheffield Wednesday. The Spanish striker, who has another year left on his Town contract, looks set to leave the Blues over the summer, although whether the Owls would be able to afford his wages or whatever fee Town ask - even if League One football appeals to the 30-year-old - remains to be seen.

Former Blues keeper-coach Andy Rhodes is now at Hillsborough and was spotted at Portman Road towards the end of the season, TWTD having first reported the Owls' interest in the ex-Spain U21 international in January.

Leicester are reported to be considering signing Alex Bruce on a permanent basis after his loan spell. The central defender spent the second half of the season on loan at the Walkers Stadium.

Elsewhere, Tommy Smith currently appears to be in New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert’s first XI for the World Cup, judging by reports of the squad’s last home-based training session. The Town defender was used on the left of a three-man defence with Blackburn’s Ryan Nelsen in the centre and FC Midtjylland's Winston Reid on the right.

The trio are expected to play in Monday’s friendly against Australia at the MCG when Herbert plans to field his strongest side.

Former Blue Matt Bloomfield has signed a new one-year deal at Wycombe Wanderers. Felixstowe-born Bloomfield has been with the Chairboys since leaving Town on a free transfer in the summer of 2003.

Photo: Action Images

bleedblue added 10:26 - May 20 Not the most exciting transfer news is it
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MarkITFC added 10:28 - May 20 havent seen him play so cant comment really , just waiting for the Moaners, ( he anit from Man Utd or Sunderland etc
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RetroBlue added 10:33 - May 20 The team is crying out for experinced players - but not neccessarily old players.
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tractorgirls added 10:35 - May 20 oh dear, Derry is not the player we need... he will get booked a lot, and has a reputation for being a thug. very slow as well.. Come on Roy, someone decent please.
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keanosbarmyarmy10 added 10:37 - May 20 i reckon derry will be a good addition to our team, his experienced, good on the ball and a team leader SIGN HIM UP KEANO!
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itfcserbia added 10:37 - May 20 i would like charlie adam. spill a cash for him if blackpool doesn't go up
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naa added 10:38 - May 20 Markeyboy: my only moan here would be that I'd say a defensive midfielder is not even close to a priority. Our midfield were too defensive last year as it was - almost certainly being the main cause for lack of goals and not, as RK seems to think, because we were missing a top striker. sure a striker would help, and we do need one, but whoever we get will need the support and service. something distinctly lacking last year. So, I hope in the 4-5 players RK says he wants he intends to get a midfielder with pace and skill. Or at least someone who will support the forwards. Also, not sure where Derry would fit with Norris and Leadbitter (already too similar in my mind).

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BlueArch added 10:38 - May 20 He's someone with bags of championship experience, defensive midfielder will allow leadbitter/norris to get forward more. If it's on a free, I can't see that it's a bad move. Maybe not as enthrawling as we would have liked but can't judge until we have signed them and they are playing.
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Monkeycum added 10:39 - May 20 Is this the same Shaun Derry who Joe Royle said was 'living in a fantasy land' when he made his wage demands clear? He came across as a bit of a a-hole in the Wednesday v Palace game on the last day of the season, sniping at players and arguing with the ref. I'm not moaning, as on the field I think he'll be an asset, but I'm not keen on the fella as a person.
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trueblue1970 added 10:48 - May 20 Not that bad ok he wont be the bigest of summer purchases but 110% player free within our wage structure good purchase
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goat_man added 10:54 - May 20 Ah not so bad! Palace players have never seemed to have a problem winning at Portman Road so hopefully if he signs for us that will continue, but for us insted. Yea maybe getting on abit, was expecting someone maybe a couple of years younger, although that being said hes a good player so maybe good cover. Also he is better than Martin so squad will have improved with his signing.

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SouperJim added 10:56 - May 20 An experienced holding midfield player could be just the tonic we need, would give norris and leadbitter free reign to get forward while adding much needed leadership on the pitch. Lets not forget that this guy is Palace's captain and they were doing pretty well prior to admin. I'm sure this link won't inspire the short-sighted fans, but it sounds really encouraging to me. Lets just hope he is more of a legwinski than a campo.

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comeonthegoodtimes added 11:03 - May 20 We haven't actually got a defensvie Midfielder just players forced to play out of position,(Leadbitter,Norris). I think with him coming in would release those two players to get forward and creat the goals and score them more freely. As for him being a thug and gettign booked reguarly, Who cares! would be good to have a Midfielder who dominates the games and having the opposition actually worried where the next cruncking tackle is coming from, Two many teams came to PR last year and had a easy time of it and allowed to pass the ball around to much. Once again Keano one if not two master strokes when it comes to Managing our team, 1, getting one Free transfer in with passion, experiance and defensive minded, 2, releasing the two of the best attacking minded midfielders in the league to do what we bought them to do and not costing the club a penny, 3, giving himself more money to spend in the transfer market on the left back and Strikers we need. See, who said he was a bad manager? Things are looking up already IMO COYB

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ITFC1985 added 11:11 - May 20 this is some kind of sick sick joke right????
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naa added 11:11 - May 20 comeonthegoodtimes: yep, that's quite well reasoned however, you say it will free up Norris and Leadbitter. Firstly, why were both of them so hindered last season? Surely only one of them needed to play the defensive role, but it looked like both were much of the time. Secondly, with Derry playing defensive, where is the room in midfield for Norris AND Leadbitter? We are sorely lacking in width as it is. Playing one of those 'wide' would not be a good idea.

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comeonthegoodtimes added 11:24 - May 20 naa- very good point, i guess i was looking at it more in my own view than RK, i would probably play a different formation, Murphy Delany Macca Smith Peters derry O'conner Norris Leadbitter Walters Wickham Far fetched i know but then, it's a start. Thats only based on the current squad obviously with only Derry added so if you add 3 or 4 players to that then you have a great bench as well with the players you take out, Didn't even mention Cevellie,Garvin or Pablo. This a formation i definatly think we can play as 4-4-2 restricts the players we have, i guess i was just looking at the positives again. But Realistic i believe.

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naa added 11:30 - May 20 I actually quite like the 3-5-2. Burley played it for a while and it's a good formation. Does ask an awful lot of the full-backs though. Seeing as neither O'Conner or Peters are experienced in that area it could be too risky for RK. He seems to be hinting at ultra-conservatism this season. They are both fit and attacking enough for the role though
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comeonthegoodtimes added 11:47 - May 20 naa- Again i agree, thats why i go back to my point of if we get Derry and release the other two then there (IMO) is no need to strengthen the middle of midfield, thus giving us more kitty for those types of players maybe, They both seem confidant players though and will only get better over the pre season so who knows. I'd just like to say, it's nice to actually have a 'Proper debate' about football rather than just talking to idiots on here about how bad RK is doing so Thankyou naa, you have restored my faith in forums

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superblueflude added 11:52 - May 20 Naa - you make a good point about that formation - both O'Connor and Peters do like to attack, maybe he might take the risk? afterall it looks like he will only have next season. However I know Keane has his core to the side, but I do wander who these are, i believe i read somewhere that he has 5 core members yet when you look at the team you see about 8 who should be core - so for me that's 3 places up for grabs, to be a core member - because of this, maybe Norris isn't safe? maybe even Leadbitter isn't safe?

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evansblue added 11:55 - May 20 I think you are spot on with your comments Mr Good Times. I have always been impressed with Derry when I have seen him play and he is a leader on the pitch. Ipswich players were far too quiet during games for my likeing last season.
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stinkiusminkius added 12:09 - May 20 Comeonthegoodtimes - I do like your spin on this story to make it out that keane had pulled off a potential masterstroke. Firstly, if it is as simple as one more def midfielder then why didn't he fix this at the start of last season or in the jan transfer window? Secondly, I'm not convinced by your comment that it would release 2 of the best attacking players in the league. They are both hardworking, box to boxplayers, but have a lot to prove with their attacking abilities. Again , much of this is down to keanes style of play which has lacked width or much attempts at creativity. I personally feel he needs a change in tactics/style as much as a change in personelle.

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callmeted added 12:13 - May 20 We needed someone last season with the kind of passion and, yes, intimidation that Derry could bring. A good addition if true and I am sure Keane will be explaining to both Norris and/or Leadbitter their duty to push forward IF they are both here?. Hopefully the start of many sensible signings
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3wheeltractorboy added 12:14 - May 20 Isn't Derry a place in Ireland somewhere, so now we looking for guys with Irish town surnames, genius............ Alan Sunderland is avaialble on a Free, he has experience..........
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callmeted added 12:17 - May 20 what about Alan Cork and Dion Dublin??
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comeonthegoodtimes added 12:20 - May 20 yeah, fair point, did i not say i would like to see 3-5-2? i disagree with your comment about Leadbitter and Norris though, they are both good players in the attacking position, it's only because its been a long time in seeing it that we can't rember, both have great vision and can pass the ball Leadbitter with his spreading of the play and Norris with the short and sharp play around the box, i think giving them the role of the attacking positions you will see the best of them next season and Ipswich's strikers can only benifit from that, i can see both getting over 10 goals each and also supplying Conner and ??? so that one of them can get into the 20goal bracket, like my title.....Comeonthegoodtimes.

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