Former loanee Jack Colback is the player Town boss Roy Keane is hoping to sign prior to Saturday’s home game against Coventry City. Keane spent the summer chasing the Sunderland midfielder, who had a successful spell at Portman Road last season.

The 20-year-old, who can also operate at full-back, made 33 starts and eight sub appearances for the Blues during 2009/10, scoring five goals. The former England U20 international made a huge impression during his time in Suffolk, winning the Players’ Player of the Year award and coming third in the Supporters’ Player of the Year voting.

Colback returned to Sunderland for the final game of last season, his Premier League debut against Wolves in which was sent off for two bookable offences. This year, having served his one-match ban, the Killingworth-born midfielder has been a regular on the Black Cats’ bench but only made it on to the field during the Carling Cup victory over Colchester.

Earlier today Keane revealed that he was closing in on another loan signing: “We’re in talks with a club and a player at the moment and we might have news on that tomorrow maybe, fingers crossed.

“We got the thumbs up [from the club] on Monday or Tuesday, I spoke to the player on Tuesday and I’ve been in touch with him again today.

“But the player’s got options, then there are agents and finance involved, so it’s the usual scenario, which I understand. We’re hopeful. He’s a good player.”

Back in May, Keane made it clear that he would be interested in Colback returning to Portman Road if he became available: “I’d take Jack back, of course. He’s been voted the Player of the Year by the players and that tells you how highly we all think of him.

“The boy’s still a kid but if there was a chance of Jack coming back here next season, Brucey knows where I stand on that — we’d take him here with open arms.”

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

dan_itfc added 22:34 - Oct 14 NTB Keano! I think he could do a great job in hyams role (hyam's played virtually every game and needs a rest) it will also be great to get some quality back up for leadbitter and norris! COYB
0

dannysigma added 22:40 - Oct 14 That will do nicely.
0

DutchTractorboy added 22:42 - Oct 14 Excellent news... If he is returning, that is. Like many here, I'd love to see a centre forward added. But this is sweet as well. Come back Colback! ;-) -= ITFC 4 EVER =-
0

cphtractor added 22:45 - Oct 14 Brilliant
0

legoman added 22:51 - Oct 14 We don't need him now unless the idea is to loan him and buy him in January.
0

fatboyakasha added 23:04 - Oct 14 No offence to Colback, as I rate him very highly, but with all these loans coming in, won't it be quite hard for our "full time team" to properly gel?? Unless we actually buy them at the end of it, they'll go back to their parent clubs and leave us with half a team. I'm very happy with everyone we've brought in, just a little scared for the future. Come on Keane, sign them up when we can. COYB!

0

ottovonbismark added 23:23 - Oct 14 don't we really need a striker rather than another midfielder. an injury to scotland or priskan and we are dependant on a 17 year old and..................
0

agc232 added 23:34 - Oct 14 This will make my week! COYB
0

E3Blue added 23:36 - Oct 14 It would be great to get Colback back in a blue shirt, but to push on and really start to threaten the automatic promotion places, a player such as Jason Roberts would be perfect. He is quick, strong & finishes well. I think any of our current strikers would work well off of him. He is a similar player to Wickham in some respect, but as stated on here many times, we cannot rely on a 17 year old no matter how could he is and potentially will be.

0

Jesney_Havoc added 05:44 - Oct 15 No real surprises there then, but good news. He was our best player last year,
0

wcoote added 07:39 - Oct 15 Not needed. A good player but CM is his position and we have more than enough cover. We need cover at RB,CF,RW.
0

truebluesince1992 added 07:49 - Oct 15 I think it would be a great signing for us would like to make it a perm deal in transfer window. Means we would not need drop GL back to defence mid when LH is out plus done well covering left back aswel last season up the town
0

Surco72 added 08:06 - Oct 15 Very good utility squad player for us as can play at left back , left side of middle or central but dont think he will come here wanting to be on the bench and cannot see him pushing out Norris ,Leadbitter and either Hyam or Livermore for starting position in his natural role ? And when played on the left last season it did make us very narrow .But promotion teams need good squads and this is certainly a good loan signing . Still worried about right back though as Eastman looks like a centre back playing right back like Mac does for N Ireland ,

0

howdonblue added 08:49 - Oct 15 would hardly see colback as a back up squad player.... i would not think keane will get him here if he tells him he is going to be cover
0

Wallingford_Boy added 09:15 - Oct 15 I assume Colback will come in as a RB?! I would imagine Livermore, Leadders and Chuck are nailed on for the CM positions, unless he's going to play on the wing?
0

BeattiesBeerGut added 09:38 - Oct 15 Get him on loan now, perm in summer. Great in the 'holding midfielder' position or can play RB. Quality quality player. Still need a freescoring striker tho.
0

Ipswich24 added 10:29 - Oct 15 Beatties beer gut what you on can play right back
0

ChambersM added 10:42 - Oct 15 Only get him if he's going to start with livermoore in a 442.
0

muhrensleftfoot added 10:53 - Oct 15 Let's hope this is true, as he can only improve us, & will take a lot less time to settle than other loanees. Also a year older & more experienced. A utlity player that can fit into a variety of positions, both left and right. Like others, I'd prefer to have a quality striker on loan, but you'll be lucky to find one of those. Most loanee strikers are in the David Healy mold, i.e. all washed up

0

bluemonday added 11:03 - Oct 15 versatile player is Colback..... welcomed back to bolster squad...... much needed.... Striker required on loan if current crop don't come up to expectations but I think Murray, Lambe and co should not be forgotten.
0

Karlosfandangal added 11:13 - Oct 15 My opinion on loan players coming and then going back to thier own clubs I think we just need players to get us in the prem as I feel we will be a bit of a yo yo club to start with. The money we would get from prem football (Min 78 million over 4 years if relegated in the first season) would be used to buy perminent players. Are the Livermores,Townsend and Colbecks good enough for Prem football Dont get me wrong they are good players and all doing a great job for us. But none of them can get in the first team at their Club, How many games will Colbeck have to play at Championship level before he makes 1st team at Sunderland, Look at Gio far to good at this level but still not playing for Tottenham.

0

AFCC added 12:24 - Oct 15 although I welcome Jack back with open arms is he really the type of player we need right now? We have options in central midfield with Norris, Leadbitter, Hyamm & Livermore and LB is covered by Kennedy, O'Connor & O'Dea. I feel sorry for Hyamm who has been outstanding so far but is proably now 5th in the CM pecking order which does not even get you on the bench. We could really do with a RB (Colback could cover but he's not an out & out fullback) and probably another Striker, Scotland's good, Priskin still hasn't done anything for me yet and Wickham has great potential but still too young to play 90mins twice a week.

0

Keaneish added 12:30 - Oct 15 So Chambers, who would you drop? Norris and Leadbitter!?
0

dubblue added 12:37 - Oct 15 Good news indeed, I assume it would be for the rest of the season. While he can provide cover at RB I assume he will want to play regular football at midfield - maybe that's why he is weighing up his options??
0

Sparky85 added 13:17 - Oct 15 agree with some of the posts on here, as much as i rate colback as a player, do we really need him now. We have leadbitter, Norris, Hyam, Livermore for the central roles with back up in Quinn when fit and healy. Although competition is always good there are other areas of the team that need to be strengthened first. But in Keane i trust, COYB
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls