Blues boss Paul Jewell is still hoping to add Leicester’s Republic of Ireland central defender Sean St Ledger to his squad before Wednesday’s visit to Birmingham. Keeper Alex McCarthy is set to complete his three-month loan deal from Reading today and will make his Blues debut at St Andrew’s.

St Ledger, 27, was recently transfer-listed at Leicester after a fallout with manager Nigel Pearson due to his lack of first team opportunities with the Town manager revealing his interest on Thursday.

Speaking after Saturday's game at Hull, Jewell said Town aren’t the only ones chasing St Ledger with unnamed clubs — one from Serie A, while Leeds are also claimed to be in the running — also having targeted St Ledger, who joined the Foxes from Preston for £1.2 million in the summer: “I’ve spoken to Nigel Pearson and I’ve spoken to the player’s agent and it depends on the player.

“There are a few clubs in for Sean. We’re in there and we just hope we can maybe get something done.”

He says Town and Leicester are still discussing a fee, perhaps implying the move might now be viewed as an immediate permanent switch rather than the loan with a view to a longer term deal initially mooted: “The chief execs are speaking, trying to thrash out a deal. We’ve got another player that we’re after as well, whether we can do both of them or not I’m not sure, but we certainly need to do one.”

The second player Jewell refers to is likely to be Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who is set to join the Blues on a three-month loan today.

With Damien Delaney suffering a recurrence of his foot injury at Reading and Ívar Ingimarsson having left the club, the Blues boss admits that his defensive options are limited with Ibrahima Sonko and Tommy Smith the only fit centre-halves: “We’re desperately short [on central defenders] and we’ve got a tough game on Wednesday, but there’s still plenty of time to bring some players in.

“We were probably desperately short of centre-halves before the game. It’s an area where we need to improve and it’s one we’re trying to strengthen, I think everybody knows that. We have been trying to work since the window opened on bringing one, if not two, in.

“It’s always a difficult time at the start of the window because everybody is chasing the same types of player or a certain players and we’re not the only club interested in both players.”

Regarding exits, Jewell says there has been no interest and he doesn’t expect too many departures during the month: “I don’t see too many players going. We want to strengthen our squad, it needs strengthening. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any exits but I haven’t had any interest for anyone.”

Meanwhile, former Town central defender Troy Brown has joined League Two Aldershot on loan from Rotherham until the end of the season.

The Wales U21 international, who made his debut for the Shots in their 3-0 home defeat to Oxford on Saturday, opted for a move to the Millers in the summer despite having been offered a one-year deal by the Blues, but has made only four starts and two sub appearances, scoring one goal.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

itfc1981 added 09:01 - Jan 9 Warnock could do it
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itfc1981 added 09:03 - Jan 9 Oh no Clegg's involved.
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PimsOclock added 09:10 - Jan 9 Not surprised no other clubs are interested in any of our players, I lost interest three seasons ago! Hope we get StLedger and he goes on to prove doubters wrong. You dont become a bad player in 6 months unless you are Jimmy Bullard of course! (only joking, kinda)
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pazelle added 09:10 - Jan 9 St Ledger would be decent enough, we still need an African Anchorman to protect the back 4 though, unless we play 3 centrebacks. There'll always be gaps behind our fullbacks because they're basically wingbacks.
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Punchless added 09:16 - Jan 9 Bring in Warnock Mr Evans and do it now before its too late. If as suggested other championship clubs are in for him I'll be very suprised if St Ledger chooses ITFC - he would be a good signing for us, however i cannot see him coming to Suffolk to join a sinking ship.
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Karlosfandangal added 09:18 - Jan 9 St Ledger has been trouble where ever he has been, Peterborough Preston and now Leicester, think we have enough problem players with Bullard and Chopra. Cant get in Leicester side, even if he was causing problems if he was that good they would play him, no better than what we have so think it will be wasted money. Desperate buy because we need Centre defenders, would rather we spend the money on Collins

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bluelady added 09:20 - Jan 9 i sincerely hope the 'other one' isnt the goal keeper as i think this is the least of our needs and being young he is still learning his trade! im happy about him comming in and not to bothered its a loan, if there are no decent GKs worth signing at the moment (and in our position we are very limited to who would come) then why not and get a perm GK in the summer. BUT we need 2 or even 3 CBs, i cant see Delaney recovering from his foot injury im afraid, i personally think thats career over. he had it pinned to stop it re-accuring, he cant keep having it pinned!

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JimmyJazz added 09:25 - Jan 9 Why has St Ledger been trouble wherever he's been? He signed for Leicester and they then signed Matt Mills so he instantly became a backup player. Probably not what he was told when he signed. He left Preston when they were relegated in a cost-cutting action He left Peterborough to play at a higher level. Warnock in!
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irishtim added 09:32 - Jan 9 Sign st ledger. Anyone know where Danny Shittu is now? Reckon he would sort our weak backline
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JimmyJazz added 09:36 - Jan 9 Danny Shittu is at QPR having been ignored by Warnock for ages.
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irishtim added 09:38 - Jan 9 Bring him on we need no nonsense cb wat u reckon jimmy jazz? Thanks 4 info.
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eastcoastblue added 09:39 - Jan 9 If we cant get him to sig what hope do we have. Clegg needs to stand up and do some business and show us that he brings any value to the club - if not he needs to go back to athletics. Letting scotlands contract drag out so he can talk to other clubs is past a joke, why would he stay when they can now offer him more money longer contract and no signing fee for us. Muppets.

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arablue added 09:43 - Jan 9 Can we pay other clubs to get rid some of ours? Might save us some money in the long run...
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JewellintheTown added 09:47 - Jan 9 Why oh why cant we just bring world class players to Ipswich on frees and play for the love of it, no fees - maybe the odd pie and cup of tea? Why cant they be young but full of experience, not come from anywhere we dont like or a team the manager once managed at? Why cant they be fit each week, never have any personal issues or bring our club into negative publicity? Why cant our manager have had world class experience and never sign a player that doesnt play world class? Why oh why cant the owner, chairman and manager read this forum week in week out and take action when our forum members share their wise all knowing words, better still sign them all up to manage and run the club as they're much better at it and have loads of cash to do so and can get any players they want too? Is that too much to ask? Is it?

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osborne1nil added 10:13 - Jan 9 Not to mention the desperately needed RB with Edwards deserting the position time after time through games after making his runs up field and leaving the area exposed. Don't need another keeper just need a proper defense in front because however good the keeper is (Stockdale for example) they are the lost resort in the defense of a goal. The defenders should not be allowing the opposing team to run through them and shoot or pass freely around the area or be first to crosses and corners. 2 good CB and 1 RB required not more short term loanees! Hope ME is busy interviewing Managers this week!

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Liamo added 10:16 - Jan 9 Jewellinthetown that is the best post i've seen on here in a long time!
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HighgateBlue added 10:20 - Jan 9 Sign him up. I note with interest that Troy Brown is out on loan. Whatever the parlous state of our defence, in my view, releasing him and Eastman was the right thing to do. Rhodes on the other hand.... :)
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jas0999 added 10:28 - Jan 9 A trouble maker and been poor at Leicester. Ask yourselves why they want rid. depressing reading it may have been a loan - thought PJ had learnt his lesson. PJ OUT!
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rosseden added 10:31 - Jan 9 indeed Highgate, yet another Academy prospect who looks like he'll bite the dust..... despite most peoples thoughts how many of our 'great academy' players go on to the top of the game........ not that many...... Rhodes will make it to the EPL i think, but its a huge jump from L2, to Champ, then to EPL, he might do it though... good luck to him if he does......
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walberswick added 10:48 - Jan 9 He's too short.
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bluelady added 10:48 - Jan 9 jas do you just pick out the worst from everybody elses posts and put into your own words or do you know for a fact he is a trouble maker and has been poor at Leicester, i didnt think he had actually played that much so not sure how he can have been poor! Also he is clearly not a bench warmer as no doubt Leicester paying him well but he was not happy with not being in the team, to me thats a pretty half decent attitude to adopt? when PJ was doing ok early season a majority on here where desperate to bring him him, now the doom and gloom has set in the opinions have changed! and NO I AM NOT HAPPY OR SATISFIED WITH PJ AT THE MOMENT......

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Legend added 11:03 - Jan 9 Both Clegg & Jewell should have been sacked at 9am sharp this morning. Then installed a proper CEO with a football background. Then we should appoint a manager that has not been away from the game. I know warnock has his haters but he has shed loads of passion and would sort this club out within a few months. (or appoint someone like him) Until that happens we will coninue to loose fans & continue to go backward with very little progress! We are currently sitting 4 places from the bottom and come saturday evening we could well be in the bottom three so all you namby pamby fans out there wake up for god's sake and look at what it happening to your club! A loan keeper who ok might be good but to be honest we should never have relied on Stocks, a makshift back four, a poor midfield and strikers who cant score for s**t!! This is Paul Jewells team people!! We are in a big big mess!!

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SouperJim added 11:19 - Jan 9 My expectations this window are that we make a few panic buys, paying over the odds for more baggage-laden journeymen. I've done my best to support Jewell, but the real concern for me is not how leaky our defence is, but the fact that Jewell is talking like he's already lost the war. He doesn't seem to believe he can turn it around anymore and for that reason, I'm out. A new manager has a chance to fix these problems, but will anything be done before the window shuts and us rats are stuck on the sinking ship? I doubt it. Evans has consistently proved that he hasn't got a clue and wouldn't know a good decision if it smacked him in the face. Time to get your paintbrush out Simon.

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MooseJuice added 11:23 - Jan 9 Yes we need two centre backs but we desperately need an actual right back so we can let edwards play where he plays best. Right now at I'd be happy to see us take a punt on a young right back like cresswell, even one on loan. Get him in and give him some games to settle in. Im sure the one of the big boys in the prem have a right back they could loan us, one they consider a bright star of the future. If we got one of their young prospects and played him regularly it may formulate a good bond between the clubs so we could get more of their top class players in the future who cant get a game (as long as we played them obviously. Getting them in and not playing them would be detrimental, stupid and good way to break promising connections!). Here's hoping!!!

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bluelady added 11:31 - Jan 9 mooosejuice we had one of Man Citys hot prospects but he never got a look in!
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