Town will not be making any further additions to their squad before the transfer window closes at 11pm.

The Blues have spent today primarily trying to negotiate a deal to sign a striker but we understand that having made a seven-figure bid they were unable to come to an agreement regarding a valuation with that player’s current club, who were keen to bring in a signing of their own before allowing the target to move on.

Another potential replacement for Daryl Murphy, who moved on to Newcastle for £3 million at the weekend, became available late this evening but with not enough time remaining to get a deal done.

The Blues will now wait until January before bringing in another striker to compete for a place in the Town attack with yesterday’s signings Leon Best and Tom Lawrence, and Brett Pitman, Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and Luke Varney.

Previously, the Blues had a £1 million offer turned down by Barnsley for midfielder-turned-striker Marley Watkins, while another versatile attacking player was also on the Blues’ deadline day radar.

Having added Best, who signed a one-year deal with an option for a further campaign, and season-loan loanee Lawrence yesterday, Jonny Williams returning for his fourth loan spell, also for the season, was ultimately the only addition on the final day of the transfer window.

While the exit of a young player on loan was close at one stage, the only exit was Cameron Stewart, whose contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Photo: Action Images

delias_cheesy_flaps added 00:11 - Sep 1 Well what a surprise ME not splashing any of the 3m from Murphy, usual loanee's as I and many others suspected.
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blues1 added 00:15 - Sep 1 Are some people totally stupid or what? You go on about Milne lieing? How? He said money was available and it was. We had a bid in for a striker. A position we all feel needs filling. But it was rejected. It's not the fault of ne1 at itfc, just the decision of the club whose player we bid for. And before ne1 claims that Evans should have bid more, it's McCarthy who values the player he wants and then Evans makes the bid. I'm sure they're every bit as disappointed as we are that they've not managed to get a striker in but for now, we have to go with what we've got. Also we've signed 3 players in the past 2 days, all of whom have cost the club money. No, no transfer fee but agents fees, signing on fees, loan fees, so much of the Murphy money gone there, as did most of the Mings and Cresswell money on previous signings. Sure I'll prob get downmarked but that's because people on here don't like facts and realism, just love to moan and slag off a club they claim to support.

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shaw1973 added 00:21 - Sep 1 Only one person to blame here our chairman ME Mick gave him a wish list and once again he has gone the freebie way . Money gone to pay his legal fees we need a new chairman as soon as please Get out of Ipswich town you have no passion for our club Marcus Evans out
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runningout added 00:27 - Sep 1 When people are frustrated, not sure why they are supposed to keep stun ..
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billythefish added 00:36 - Sep 1 Blues1, I hear your points, but Newcastle made a bid we couldn't refuse, we should be doing the same for players we feel are a suitable automatic replacement. Sure monies have been spent on agents fees etc,but unless these signings play beyond their valuation, we have to question why we have bought them. If they are not going to take us to a higher position in the league than the players sold, where is the ambition

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kingy4978 added 00:38 - Sep 1 Let's put this in perspective. People are slating ME but if it wasn't for him there maybe no ITFC to support. Since he has took over we have signed 86 players ( not including loans ) which need paying for. Yes he was perhaps naive for hiring Keane and jewell and backing them but be honest when Keane was appointed everyone was happy as he had got Sunderland promoted and was high profile as well. Things didn't work out with him and jewell and we were left with players on big contracts which still needed paying. Now mick has come in and while most don't like his style of football he managed to get rid of the dead wood and get us challenging for a playoff position. You see ckubs line Derby and Brighton spending a lot of money and they are in no better position then us at present. I'm thankful to ME and mick for the job they are doing and would rather see us be more sensible in the market rather than risk it all and fail.

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Knightsy added 00:43 - Sep 1 Joke of a Club....MM has Murphy's Transfer Money to spend...and it's not been spent. M.E sell the Club FFS...to someone that has the ambition
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Seasider added 00:45 - Sep 1 Obviously a pattern here,most seasons we sell a player;but don't invest that much in replacements.Forget the hype;but it has happened again,and even I was taken in this time. However I said earlier that it is not the end of the world,as on the whole the window has been more successful than any others under MM;but it is still disappointing when the club was specific about bringing in a replacement for Murph. Why it hasn't transpired,us fans will probably never know. Still sounds like Mr Evans had a lot of unsold tickets on his hands in Brazil;so this will help defray the shortfall in expected income from the Olympics. Have noticed that Milne gives his usual spiel of money being available;but no longer trots out the old chestnut of the FFP;which I suppose is something to be grateful for. Goodnight.

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Green_Army added 00:47 - Sep 1 Derby are living proof that money doesn't guarantee success. Remember that.
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cartman1972 added 00:53 - Sep 1 Some of our fans are either deluded or ex coachs in disguise, they all know better. Hoofball we moaned at so to not replace Murphy with a similar style player is a godsend, he was way past his best. We have more enterprising young attacking midfielders but hang on didn't we all want that??? Evans and McCarthy can't win.
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planetblue_2011 added 01:02 - Sep 1 To be honest we've got 3 good signings a bit disappointed not to get a striker in but not all bad I'm so pleased Williams is back just a pain he's injured at the moment till oct. he's just who we need in midfield. Lawrence seems highly rated so another good young addition. Best could be the answer to Murphy he's quick, powerful, 6ft 1 so must be ok in the air. Only 29 years old a point to prove maybe. Why not do it for town, think he will do well for us. Still got Pitman, Varney & this could be what Sears needed always playing out wide when Murphy up front, well here's his chance to do it as a striker again & start scoring goals again. Surely Mick won't play him wide🙈! We have enough wide players now!! With the attacking players signed to add to ward & grant I'm very pleased. COYB👍🏻

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Town4me added 03:08 - Sep 1 It really bugging me hearing alot of people slating ME! All saying he won't spend any money. He clearly has but just in other ways than transfer fees, also we've been told bids were made but not accepted. So there's obviously willing there. Along with the whole F.F.P. thing( which we all know isn't worth the paper it's written on but got abide by it) that we all wish the f.a. would actually follow through with the threats! You have to remember it's more than transfer fees and anyway, if ME was to sell up, who would buy us with our debt!?

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GiveusaWave added 05:40 - Sep 1 MM has done a good job during this transfer window, so to slate him seems insane. As so many others have already said, we have the opportunity now to bring in someone like Bentdner who has already been released. There are still plenty of strikers out there who have only just been released. It will be insane though to think that we don't need a target man. If we intend to move forward with Pittman and Varney in that role it will be a mistake. Best isn't a target man. He's good at finding width and loves to run with the ball, but target man he is not. We would need to change our tactics completely if we play with the present squad members. We also have Dozzell, Bishop, Benyu etc all itching for a first team place. how can we offer them that if we have too many signings?

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JimmyP45 added 06:13 - Sep 1 Not usually negative on here but a lot of people putting their faith in Sears to score all the goals. Clearly these people don't go to watch Ipswich matches because all this season and a lot of last Sears has been put through on goal and blasts it over or wide. Sears takes the ball forward but that is about it really. Pitman to become good is our only hope unless Grant Ward scores all the goals

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beornioblue added 06:13 - Sep 1 Shame we couldn't add another and can't help thinking that if we had if waited until yesterday to sell murph newcastle would have paid more. However that being said thoroughly enjoyed TDD for once and am happy with what we came out with. The main objective now is getting Joniesta match fit and it was so good to read he is happy to be back. Tommy Lawrence is an unknown but after watching his highlight video on YouTube and a bit of research I think we may have uncovered another grant ward !! The abundance of actual footballing talent in our midfield now is the biggest positive this club we love has had in years and maybe we don't need to find a Murphy replacement if the team can now finally play a 442.. With Sears and Pitman finally playing as they should with good service .... On the ground plus best and a returning mcgoldrick!! Strap in boys and girls we may actually see some through balls played behind the defence !! Plus we have no idea what we're going to get out of Best either ... Knows where the goal is , has experience, is strong on the ball and still has some pace .. Doesn't sound to bad to me so let's gets behind the team and the new boys as I think they're going to make the difference and we didn't need to panic buy !! COYB

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flyingdutchman added 06:23 - Sep 1 why is it that most clubs have something lined up before they let the player go EVANS your a tw@ go and f o
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Keaneish added 06:28 - Sep 1 No blues1, were not totally stupid. Best, Williams and Lawrence do not total anywhere near 3 million in fees and wages and that's fine. I for one didn't expect us to splash all the cash regardless of what Milne said...seeing as he's said this before. If you look at the report from last year, we spent the lowest of any Championship club on agents fees so given these are two loans and a free, I expect this to be minimal in this instance. Also, even if all three of these players are on £10k a week, we're still only utilising a third of the Murphy money. People have a right to be annoyed. We've now recouped 16.5 million in transfer fees over the last three seasons and reinvested about 1.5 million in transfer fees. Even with agent fees and wages, there is a significant disparity. As we're so adamant we're operating within the FFP, I can only assume we're operating within an affordable loss margin based on projected income vs expenditure. Transfer fees shouldn't come into this equation as its a variable cost, which begs the question, what has a significant sum of this money been invested in? Have we cleared half our debt?

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Kirbmeister added 06:38 - Sep 1 Blueboy1981 - I see you've signed on loan again. Hope it's a short one.
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oldblue added 06:40 - Sep 1 Oh dear...why do you all think that spending big is the answer..JET ? Look Pitman played well v Preston..yes it was a hard earned win but Pitman linked up the play far better than Murphy was doing in the last few months here ...Murphy often lost the ball when it was played up to him putting us under pressure again and was not exactly prolific in the end was he...Williams and Lawrence could provide a different option and potentially more chances and Pitman is a clever footballer who has goals in him. Best is only cover as is Varney but they may yet surprise you detractors . We would all like to see Town promoted but we have to realise where and who we are now and the only way we will get up is bu a united team and hard graft...when we get up we will have big money to spend but until then...patience and support required.

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battyblue added 07:12 - Sep 1 I Said yesterday that Best was our Murphy replacement and got marked down considerably well guys.. i am disappointed because i expect a lot of hoofball to follow from Chambers and co because that is all he has,,so i would have been much happier with a real right back of quality to supplement our ball playing midfielders,with the reinstating of Webster for Berra at c/b,then we can move the ball through the team,,Mick will never drop Chambers no matter how bad he is at r/b and Douglas? i expect he will have to find a place for him to,MM plays defensive football and always will why has Freedie spent as much time in our penalty area as he has upfield because he has been told to cover first and attack only when secure at the back...Have complete faith in Pitts to deliver as long as he gets the right service we will have to wait and see.

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Umros added 07:44 - Sep 1 So, the bare facts are; failure to secure a quality contracted player for a reasonable fee by use of Murphy's money. Signing of two on loan, one that can't play until October and has track record of injury and a possible Cameron Stewart the second on a free (hopefully best will be in it!) We must however remain positive that we have actually taken on three players I guess but it again demonstrates that we are poor dealers unwilling to pay a reasonable fee to secure a little more quality. Bet your bottom dollar that 3 million will now be shuffled away and all of a sudden not available come January. I hope I am wrong!

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WorcesterBlue added 08:05 - Sep 1 If I was Freddie Sears or Pitman I'd be dead chuffed at these signings right now. Hopefully we'll all be agreeing in a few weeks. See you at Derby 👍😃⚽️
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Surco72 added 08:07 - Sep 1 We cannot keep using the "look at the money on wages for the new players" excuse over and over again for not signing players for a fee . We have the wages from a number of released players again from last season ANM, Pringle , Feeney , Yowerth , Pior, Stewart , Murphy . Murphys fee should have been reinvested , we keep praising MM for getting quick deals done and now suddenly it is " deals take time , its not as easy as that ".Well then don't agree to a sell until we have time to line something up . Best was always the replacement for Murphy and Varney for Dids . Feeling let down by the club again after some promising loan gamble deals, this again will certainly not be attracting the missing supporters back to Portman Road , look at the excitement when we signed players like Johnson and Stewart . In the biggest spending window ever we have spent less on fees than received and wonder why we have been in championship so long

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bedsitfc added 08:08 - Sep 1 Best will out score lambert No problem Like I said earlier people hated the style of play we sell the pivotal player in that and now they moan we didn't get a direct replacement F@@king twits are out
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grumpyoldman added 08:22 - Sep 1 prebsa blueboy81 & Seaside, you all marked me down for stating facts not opinions, while I agree with your opinions on MM, voting down somebody who is stating a proven fact does seem odd. Unless I have got it totally wrong about the clubs finances which are a matter of record how can you argue with it?
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