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

comeonthegoodtimes added 14:01 - May 20 callmeted- I apologies, just had enough of the Irish, sunderland thing. I take the comment back and yes i did see your earlier post, Your right about the humour side of things, we do all need a bit. I think i was just on one after reading all the rubbish on the other articals on here from certain people,
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reusersfreekicks added 14:10 - May 20 Nooooooooo. I thought Norris was the mouthy tough tackling midfielder! This endless talk about 'character' - Yes it's needed but talent is important too.
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BlueBoots added 14:13 - May 20 If the Derry signing comes off, I expect we'll start next season (as we did last season) playing 4-3-3: ------------ B. Murphy ------------ Peters McAuley Delaney O'Connor -------------- Derry ---------------- -------- Norris --- Leadbitter ----- Walters ---------------- D. Murphy ------- Wickham / Priskin -------- Don't see a problem with width playing this system, as Peters and O'Connor both like to get forward...

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brogansnose added 14:19 - May 20 ok, Derry is not the most attractive of signings but i can see the reasoning behind his potential signing. Whatever happens the midfield needs to link up or sit behind the front 2 or 1 because it rarely happened last season. Too many times players were left to deal with a situation or create something on their own.
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WadzillaBhoy added 14:36 - May 20 I reckon Derry would fit in well as def mid, I also think instead of playing 5 in the mid, I'd play 4 with a diamond formation with Norris playing Attacking Mid. I reckon he'd be like a championship Tim Cahill given the chance.
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comeonthegoodtimes added 14:43 - May 20 What about Leadbitter as the holding player and going for Koren? i know this is about the possible signing of Derry and i for one have been going on about the formation and seeing him in the squad but is Koren not a good player and also on a free? i think he is only 30 aswell, Attacking and gets a few goals, quite a skillful player as well, didn't look out of place in a WBA team finishing second in the league either, If there both on a free, lets go for both and put the players we already have at the club under a bit of pressure in thinking i actually have to fight for my place rather than getting handed a shirt every week? Just a thought, what do people think?

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dreblue added 14:44 - May 20 Some people on this site make me laugh!! All of a sudden we get linked to a player that fits with what Keane says we need, which for some reason then leads to some people on here saying... "Well this means either Norris or leadbitter has to go"!!! WHAT!!!! You dont see ferguson when he signed Hargreaves thinking... right now either Scholes, Carrick, Anderson, Gibson, Fletcher etc have to go now as we CANT POSSIBLY HAVE SOME BACK UP!!!! We only use 11 players in this team!! ha! At the end of the say we need someone big with presence int he team. It showed how small we are as a squad on the last game of the season when we basically got bullied by Shef United!! I do enjoy all these rumours tho.... as much as some comments on here are pathetic.. just shows that we do care!!! Bring on next season and hopefulyl with a few new faces on the side!!!

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callmeted added 15:02 - May 20 COMEONTHEGOODTIMES- accepted and for the record I agree
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Marcus added 15:07 - May 20 @dreblue Generally speaking you need at least two players in each position and a young player apprenticing - which is why a squad of about 30 is optimal. The problem is whether certain players could tolerate being second choice if they're promised regular first team football when they sign. OF course that says more about the character of the players and the coaches although Ipswich has a recent history of being a team with a mix of mercenaries and young players. I think that's what Keane means by getting in players of the right character - less of the mercantile (think of Ben Thatcher).

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Surco72 added 15:09 - May 20 Derry is a poor mans Whitehead who we tried to sign last year and for free i believe would be a good squad addition especially for hard away games where Roy tends to favour 5 in midfield anyway . Dont agree with the addition freeing up Leadbitter and Norris more though as both have very poor scoring records and managed only 2 goals between them when playing together together since January .Would do the defensive work to allow Garvan to play and create though alongside one of the other two ? If we did play the 3 5 2 maybe he has Edwards in mind for the right wing back role ?

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16_Jack_ken_16 added 15:36 - May 20 sorry mistake on here lol I think he means alan lee and darren ambrose. its okay keane i will correct you
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blueblood66 added 15:41 - May 20 another Norris, Leadbitter type
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Seasonticketsteve added 16:41 - May 20 Blueboots-12 players in your side lol. Cant say I am to happy about the POTENTIAL signing of Derry, really do not think another central midfielder is a priority, a left sided player with a bit of pace fair enough, as a squad player though I am sure Derry's experience would be a handy assett to have. Is that number 10 we are up to with player links now???
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Seasonticketsteve added 16:44 - May 20 Sorry blueboots-just realised you meant Wickham or Priskin upfront-my bad!
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ChambersM added 18:17 - May 20 rather have priskin and wickham upfront and play 4-4-2...think that would be a good partnership
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Suffolk_n_Good added 18:49 - May 20 Interesting! don't know a great deal about him, but on a free, surely he's worth a gamble
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jas0999 added 19:20 - May 20 Would be a decent addition. Like others I am not keen on the guy from a likable standpoint - but he does the business on the pitch. As for Pablo - hopefully we can offload him. Loads of chances last season - just two goals. Sadly his mate Jim gave him a whopping contract which may put others off. Shame.
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RAH4 added 20:25 - May 20 Derry why? Midfield will be too crowded with Norris and Leadbitter as well. Also another championship journeyman is just what we need as we aim for the heights of mid table mediocrity.
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runaround added 20:58 - May 20 The signing of Derry would definitely add some much needed nastiness to the side but we still will be in need of some guile, pace and creativity in the midfield area. I think Keane may be looking again to the 4-3-2-1 formation that he tried at start of last season. As for Pablo i fully expect him to see out his contract as he has done this before
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Suffolk_n_Good added 21:46 - May 20 PS: this is "linked with" player number 10! We've reached double figures folks! & the play-offs haven't even been decided yet!!!
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stinkiusminkius added 21:47 - May 20 Runaround, I agree re pablo. And I reckon he thinks his contract has a good chance of outlasting keane anyway.
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mightytown added 22:22 - May 20 i have enjoyed reading these posts so far. COYBS!
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ChambersM added 23:34 - May 20 just how does everyone know that pablo was given such a whopping contract??!!
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bennyblue added 06:05 - May 21 because it was said on here so it must be true
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Kropotkin123 added 08:24 - May 21 free player, with a wealth of experience, to cover the same role as leadbitter and Norris is a good move, if he's setting himself up to play those two consistently. It means: a) he can remove a player due to form/having a rubbish game b) he can remove a player due to fitness c) he can cover an injured player d) he can bring an experienced player towards the end of the game e) he can freshen things up, when we play a lot of games. all this can be achieved with out breaking the fundemental structure of the team, which at times can be an advantage. Now I expect, as he is on a free, this is the sort of player that is on his wish list, but not at the top, not where the bigger money and emphasis will be placed.

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