CEO Mark Ashton says the Blues are in for “three, four, five players at the moment” in what he says will be a busy summer at Portman Road.

Already Town have added Wes Burns from Fleetwood and Lee Evans from Wigan, while we understand a deal to sign West Brom’s Rekeem Harper on a three-year deal is very close to being confirmed. The Blues are also targeting Rotherham midfielder Matt Crooks.

Speaking on the Mark Murphy show on BBC Radio Suffolk (from 2hrs 37mins 54secs), Ashton wouldn’t comment on any specific players the Blues are targeting.

“I’d love to give you an exclusive but it would probably cost me the deal,” he said. “Let’s be really clear, we are in for three, four, five players at the moment.

“Are they imminent? The deals will drop when they drop when they drop because it has to be right for the club, the agent and the player.

“We’ve got two in very quickly, we are in the mix for more than a handful and they will continue to come in over the next few weeks.”

How many signings is he budgeting for? “More than a handful. The market is fluid, it’s a very unusual transfer market at the moment because it’s affected by the pandemic but we’ll be right at the forefront.

“We have the salary protocols [League One’s Salary Cap Management Protocol (SCMP)] that we have to adhere to but we’ll fund right to the max of the cap, that’s for sure.

“But it moves by the day. You’re in for a player then suddenly something happens and that club’s not releasing that player. But we’re going to be in for quite a few and it will be a busy summer.”

Reflecting on the job he took over on June 1st overall, he added: “We need to change things, both on and off the pitch and I’m not going to hide away from that.

“This is potentially a huge football club and I’ve been blown away by the size and the heritage and the history of Ipswich Town.

“But right now we’re a League One football club and we’ve got to work our socks off to get out of this division.

“We need to recruit players that are capable of doing that and players and staff that are absolutely committed to this football club and nothing else.

“I’ve moved to the area, players who come and join this football club and staff who join this football club have got to be part of this community because we’re only going to take this club in one direction, and that is forward.”

Photo: Photo: James Ager

Monkey_Blue added 16:47 - Jun 11 If he's a canary and I assume you mean GiroJim, there is some truth in what he's saying. We all saw the effect and thought agreed on the negative of Hurst signing too many nee players. Seen lots of clubs with money do this and it not work out. If the nee owners have spent heavily and we are mod table after a dozen games? Lambert for all his being average, never had us out of top two, top six of play off contention for two years. Creating a nee team virtually from scratch, all having to learn what seems like a very definitive way of playing and getting a good start.we've seen lots of clubs fail by throwing money at it with high player turnover lots of times. What MM and Lambert needed was the extra flexibility to buy that one or two better players. The theory of evolution is fact, revolutions are long and bloody.

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grinch added 17:03 - Jun 11 Hope it is at least 5 more otherwise we won't be able to put a team out if my maths are correct or we will have a team that can't compete as it will be threadbare are we going from one extreme of having too many players to not having enough and then filling gaps with the dreaded loan system
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itfcasual added 17:33 - Jun 11 I can understand GiroJim's caution. However, despite his less than auspicious start Cook does have a pedigree of success in the lower leagues. We should be optimistic that the structure around the manager is fast improving and that Cook now has the chance to recruit the players he wants in the team to deliver his brand of football. That said if we aren't top of the league or near to it by Christmas 2021 I can't see him staying for the long haul. It is what it is.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:50 - Jun 11 It is impressive that he is talking about anyone coming here being invested in the area. He says he has moved here, and you get the sense that that will be that will be the level of commitment expected of any signing.
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markchips added 21:20 - Jun 11 Good positive vibes, hope we get crooks from Rotherham. With Cornell leaving today maybe macgillivray from Portsouth in goal and power from Sunderland to complete the midfield. Got a feeling we might persevere with the likes of kenlock, perhaps holy as back up, maybe Hawkins as a squad player. I suppose the strikers brought in as key to give Norwood some respite
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TonyHumesIpswich added 02:54 - Jun 12 We've had 23 players leave. We had a large squad but need more than 3 replacements.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 09:03 - Jun 12 Monkeyblue you are delusional maybe he meant you was the secret budgie how and where did lambert pick a team from scratch?? He didn't have 20 plus players out of contract because the owner let it get that way but cook has got that to deal with and he wants to see who wants to be here and who doesn't and who's good enough to be here. Lambert never had us out the top 6 you say see more cr@p we finished 11th last season under lambert?? We weren't in the top 6 when cook came in either?? So more cr@p at least back up your issues or slagging off of cook with facts. Our old owner constantly used to let contracts run out every season way back to leadbitter Norris etc and he did it this season as well 20 odd players and whilst o don't necessarily think lambert was the issue either as clearly it was the owner but all that's gone now so why can't you focus on the now with facts not lies and get behind the team ffs

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Bazza8564 added 09:08 - Jun 12 Why is the glass always half empty? We've been PRAYING for a post Lambert post Evans era, we are at the beginning of the window when everybody is talking to everybody else. We have the right infrastructure, investment from new owners and a manager who frankly won't be messed about. We clearly need more as Tonyhumesipswich says, and we will undoubtedly sign them. Its probably 8 weeks or so before the season begins, There is no need to panic and spread gloom and doom

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