Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’s trying to add a couple more players to his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month with those signings likely to be loan deals or people who are out of contract, such as striker Leon Best, who is on trial and playing for the U23s this afternoon.

“I’m trying to get a couple more in, they might be loan deals or people who are out of contract,” the Blues manager told talkSPORT.

“There’s a lot of people spending a lot of money and it all seems to have doubled up. The Premier League football seems to have doubled or trebled, but the players haven’t got three times better.

“And the players that they’re buying in the Championship haven’t got two or three times better either.

“So we’ve competed with them in the past and I fully expect we’ll compete with them this year, whether we’ll spend a load of money or not. And that’s my belief all the time.”

McCarthy has been looking at signing players on loan from Premier League clubs all summer but felt many of them were unlikely to become available until near the end of the window as top flight clubs completed their transfer business. The Blues have already signed Conor Grant from Everton on loan for the season.

As previously reported, Crystal Palace winger Sullay Kaikai was watched by Blues boss Mick McCarthy, who also recently took in Arsenal’s U23s - including former loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles - facing their Reading counterparts.

Another player we understand the Blues have shown interest in this summer is 19-year-old West Ham winger Martin Samuelsen.

The Norwegian, who has made two Europa Cup sub appearances for the Hammers, spent much of last season with Peterborough, where he made nine starts and 11 sub appearances, scoring twice.

Speaking earlier in the summer, McCarthy said he had enquired about the availability of another of last season’s loanees, Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser, but was told the Scotland U21 international wouldn’t be going out on loan.

Fraser, 22, made his Premier League debut for the Cherries as he started yesterday’s 1-0 defeat at West Ham.

Photo: TWTD

BlueSwede added 14:43 - Aug 24 Checked you link to transfermarkt DirtyOldNodger. Intersting Reading. Especially the last piece of information under each team, "Tranfer results". Well Worth looking at for those who state that Ipswich and the clubs owner doesn't spend. Only five tems out of the other 23 in the League Championship have spent more Money on transfers this summer when counting fees in and fees out. We have even spent more than Newcastle and Norwich.

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