Blues boss Roy Keane has confirmed that Alex Bruce, Owen Garvan and Jon Stead missed last night’s game at Bury to continue talks with Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Blackpool respectively. The Town manager says he is hopeful he will complete the signing of Sunderland keeper Márton Fülöp.

Fees have been agreed for the potentially outgoing trio and Keane says that the completion of the moves is down to the individuals involved: “That’s up to the players. Alex is talking to Leeds, Garvs has been talking to Palace, Jon Stead’s been speaking to a club today, Blackpool, but there’s another club as well.

“We gave them permission to speak to the clubs and it’s up to them to agree. I’m not really up to date on if they’ve signed or agreed anything.”

Last week the Town manager mentioned a potential loan signing, who he revealed was Black Cats keeper Fülöp with a permanent £750,000 deal having subsequently been agreed between the clubs.

Keane says that despite reports, the move could still go through with negotiations with his former team-mate Steve Bruce having been ongoing for some while: “We’ve been in talks, obviously Brucey mentioned it last week. I think I’ve spoken to Brucey more than my wife over the last month. I don’t think he’s too pleased with that and I’m certainly not.

“It’s dragging its heels a little, but it’ll come to a head in the next 24 or 48 hours. You’re always hopeful but you have to be wary until the player signs on the dotted line, but we have other targets, Brucey knows that.

”I think Márton wants to come, but the negotiations have to be done and sometimes these things take their time.”

Keane says the move for the Hungarian international is no comment on his current glovesmen: “I have to say I’m pleased with the two keepers we have, but I’ve always said we need three goalkeepers because we had a disaster last season with injuries and loan players coming in and out. I used five keepers last year and I certainly don’t want to be doing that again this year.

“Márton is one of two targets I have in mind and we’ll see over the next few days how things pan out. I have to say it changes by the hour, not by the day, by the hour.”

Keane has also dismissed reports linking the Blues with former Liverpool and Fulham defender Steve Finnan: “No, no news of Steve Finnan. We’ve got Jaime Peters, we’ve got Jack Ainsley, right-back is not an issue for me.

“We’re looking at the goalkeeper, we needed a left-back, it depends what happens with Garvs over the next few days whether we need another midfielder, and we’ve always said we might be looking at a striker, particularly if Steady goes and with Lisbie going to Millwall on loan."

Photo: Action Images

zippyrainbow added 11:57 - Jul 29 It all seems like Roy is trying to fit square pegs into round holes!! I would have thought a striker would be the priority over a goalie??
0

SouperJim added 12:19 - Jul 29 whinge moan flounce winge moan flounce, take everything literally, refuse to read between the lines or see beyond the end of your nose, oh the drama!
0

SiBo added 13:04 - Jul 29 Souperjim: Spot on!
0

GeorgiDoundarov added 13:19 - Jul 29 This obviously seems odd... I'd say play with two goalkeepers but get a striker because you have none now! I just pray Keane is saying this because he don't want to draw the attention to him desperatley looking for a striker. And I hope he gets at least one because we cannot score a single goal otherwise!
0

Jim added 13:47 - Jul 29 We MIGHT need a striker!!! Possibly the biggest understatement that I have ever heard in football. Oh and we are OK for right fullbacks because we have Peters who has played there about a dozen times in his career and Ainsley who has yet to play for the first team in the championship. So far in the year and a half that Keane has been in charge we have gone further backwards than any other manager than in their first 18 months.

0

Brad_C_ITFC added 14:31 - Jul 29 I dislike Keane more everyday
0

SiBo added 14:55 - Jul 29 Jim: Really? Take a look at our record under the great "Sir Bobby Robson" in his first 18 months... and "Sir Alf Ramsey"... both had very poor starts to their managerial careers at Portman Road. In both cases fans were calling for their heads; in both cases the board stuck by them; in both cases they went on to produce the best football we have seen at Portman Road. As the insurance companies like to say, "past performance is no indicator of the future", but if we had dropped them early on, as many fans wanted, we wouldn't have the 3 stars on our shirts we do today.

0

zippyrainbow added 15:23 - Jul 29 Not too sad to see Bruce or Stead leave to be honest. I do think Fulop is a good keeper and he will strengthen the team. But when is Wickham's partner arriving Mr Keane?
0

Jim added 17:40 - Jul 29 Sibo, Unfortunately I stand by those comments. Both Sir Bobby and Sir Alf are before my time but I am well versed with their records. I just feel that taking all the factors into account that is where we stand. At the time that Keane took over we were a championship club that were just looking for that next step to mount a promotion challenge. We brought in a manager at great expense (I don't know the figures but would assume that he is one of the highest paid in our division). Significant funds were also made available to make it happen. £10m of new players later (and an increase in the wage bill) we find ourselves with what has to be described as a weak squad with what looks like no additions on the horizon (apart from the third goalkeeper that we are obviously crying out for). Last season was a huge backwards step of that there can be no doubt and the concern is that there appers to be nothing to suggest this season will be any different. At the time when Sir Bobby and Sir Alf became manager I don't believe they were given vast amounts of money and profile. That is why I believe that we have a taken a bigger backward step than ever before. That said I am absolutely desperate to be wrong on this and look back in May at a good season, but with this squad I cannot see it.

0

jas0999 added 18:02 - Jul 29 Good! Bruce and Stead an go. Have always been a Garvan fan, but learly something is wrong with him behind the scenes as even Jim had a falling out with him. Probably best for all concerned that he moves on.
0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls