Town boss Paul Cook says the Blues are signing players that might have appeared out of reach for a League One club having made 10 additions already this summer.

Conor Chaplin was the 10th man to arrive at Portman Road on Tuesday, dropping a division from Championship Barnsley, following George Edmundson, who signed from Rangers having previously been the subject of bids from Championship sides including Peterborough and Millwall.

Joe Pigott and Scott Fraser were also understood to have been eyed by Championship clubs.

Town’s first summer signing, Wes Burns, was set to join Coventry on a free transfer until his former club Fleetwood took up an option on his contract, something they hadn’t been expected to do as it raised his wage.

The requirement for a fee priced the Sky Blues out of the deal and Town eventually fought off competition from two more Championship sides, Millwall and Hull City, to land the wideman.

“I can’t thank the board and [CEO] Mark Ashton enough because we are signing players that some might have thought were out of our reach,” Cook told the club site.

“We’ve kept our recruitment standards high this summer and the last two signings, with George and Conor coming in, are further evidence of that.”

The Blues' recruitment drive is far from over with areas of the squad still in need ot strengthening.

Middlesbrough's Hayden Coulson is expected to join on loan, his move to the Blues having been delayed by the lack of left-sided options at Boro at present.

Another central midfielder and a fourth senior central defenders are priorities.

We understand the Blues were approached by representatives of former England man Phil Jagielka enquiring whether they had an interest in the 38-year-old.

However, the former Sheffield United and Everton man is not currently under consideration.

Jagielka has been training and playing for Derby in pre-season despite their transfer embargo with manager Wayne Rooney having said he is keen to sign him once he is able to do so.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Borough Council has given the go-ahead for a 100-bedroom Travelodge hotel close to the Blues’ Portman Road ground on the land currently used as a car park between Suffolk County Council’s Endeavour House and the now-closed Better Gym.

Photo: Matchday Images

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:47 - Jul 29 As we are now being run more professionally, I think we might need to hire a professional song writer!
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chepstowblue added 14:56 - Jul 29 Self deprecation is priceless. I've been using it all my life. We've got a huge chequebook in our hands In october we'll be booing from the stands In april doing w*nker signs with our hands An 8th place finish wasn't in the plans. Feet on the ground people, pride before a fall, arrogance is ugly. We've recruited well and the bookies may have us as favourites. But there are 6 or 8 I'd look at and think they're equally as likely.

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1980sboy added 14:57 - Jul 29 We've got a huge cheque book in our hand 🎶 We've got Ed Sheeran as a superstar fan 🎶 We've got the best team in the land 🎶 We're going back to the Promised land
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SpiritOfJohn added 15:07 - Jul 29 We are benefitting from a snowball effect. Since we made a few quality signings more good players are happy to join the party, some dropping down a division and others who had interest from Championship clubs also believe that we are on the up. Exciting times!
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BlueBoots added 15:17 - Jul 29 Can we have a verse for Paul Cook too?... "He's got a hot beverage, in his hand"
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tractorboybig added 15:18 - Jul 29 all we need now is for mr cook to produce/
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Linkboy13 added 15:28 - Jul 29 Yes he's certainly Cooking the books COYB.
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VILJOEN67 added 15:33 - Jul 29 He's got a coffee cup in his hands Hes got a chequebook for his plans He's got the best fans in the stands He's got the best team in the land
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tractorshark added 15:48 - Jul 29 We got a huge chequebook in our hands We got Ed Sheeran in our stands We got American pension plans We're off to the promised land
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TimmyH added 15:49 - Jul 29 I'm not going to judge any of them until a number of games into the season and even then will probably be too early...it is amazing though the continuing tide of optimism on here. I wonder if that optimism with all these signings would be the same if Evans was still the owner? (wouldn't happen I know, just hypothetically speaking). We've been here before in the summer with fans getting over excited with signings...problem with me there's been too much of a change too quickly - patience will be needed and I'm not sure too many of us have that right now.

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PhilTWTD added 15:52 - Jul 29 Help I've sorted that for you! Phil
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gloucester_tractor added 16:02 - Jul 29 We have made a number of signings and paid a fee..,but how much chequebook have we spent net as we have slashed wage bill numbers and got fees in to May be not as huge as people think But well done all now for the next 9 months
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Bazza8564 added 16:05 - Jul 29 Holy cr&p what did i start :) I think I like Viljoen's version best of all. Lets not forget my rewrite of He's only a poor little budgie which goes He's Rich, Plays Guitar and hes ginger His tour logo splashed on our kit Ed sheeran's his name His passion's the same And he thinks that Norwich are Sh*t ! And yes I wont give up the day job, hope some of you are in block Y, I want a whole new "halfway line" experience for this season !! Lets see if we can keep Radio Suffolk on their toes

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fergalsharkey added 16:29 - Jul 29 we have so much money we dont know what to do we would lend you a million quid then beat you black and blue. to the tune of the grand old duke of york.
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blues1 added 16:57 - Jul 29 Chepstowblue. Ur right. Theres no guarantee we will get promoted at the 1st attempt with this new squad. It could take time. And the new owners have all said as much. I certainly am willing to give them some time to get it right after so many years of failure. The reason I marked you down is bcse why cant fans have a bit of confidence and optimism for that lies ahead and indeed what's happened already under the new ownership, without people coming on here and knocking them for that and being negative? I get it, for years it's been miserable, but surely you can just show some positivity. Leave all the negative stuff to one side. Just for now?

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d77sgw added 17:06 - Jul 29 Agreed lets me optimistic, but let's be classy too. I remember being at Carrot Road soon after ME took over and the taunts we gave the scum.."we've got more cash than you..we've got more cash than you..." etc. Kind of regret that now if I'm honest. We didn't use that money wisely, and dare I say it went the opposite direction to the upstarts of Anglia up the road. Like them or loathe them (well, loathe them...) you can't ignore that they're a well-run club. And money has kind of ruined UK football, for all but handful of clubs. So yeah lets get behind the team, but personally I won't be waving my massive wodge around like Loadsamoney (contemporary cultural reference for you there....!)

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blues1 added 17:07 - Jul 29 TimmyH. Toyrexright. We have to be patient and not expect everything to be perfect right away. Ur also right thatcthere will be some fans, especially those on social media who wont be and will be slaggibg the club off at the very 1st opportunity. I also get what u mean regarding fans getting excited about signings prior to the season. But I think that's different this year, as we are clearly signing far more quality than we have for some time now. And about time too. So I get the excitement. Is it too much of a change? Maybe but it was necessary if we were going to stand a chance. And it seems strange to me that it's mainly the same fans saying now, it's too big a change that are the ones who were saying all last season that the whole team needed to go bcse theyre all rubbish. Well, its happened. And I, for 1, am more than happy about it.

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markchips added 17:24 - Jul 29 Would like to hear from the club in some regard to the potential net saving on wages and the end result to date given Bonne is only on loan so only 9 permanent lads in. Not expecting exact figures as confidential but some reassurance to us fans of the good management of Ashton to date. Over to you Phil.
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shortmarine1969 added 18:04 - Jul 29 Any mention of Checkbook FC is crass , likely not that true , and imo not needed in any way shape or from..a bit sad if anybody wants to sing about it to be honest!
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bluesman added 18:13 - Jul 29 Tractor boys in the stands Massive cheque book in our hands Going up is in our plans We're off to the promised land
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gosblue added 19:08 - Jul 29 Paul Cook's big fat chequebook
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Eddie1985 added 19:15 - Jul 29 Patience is all well and good but I expect promotion, Paul Cook and Roberts were very vocal in there disappointment at the squad and set up and the Americans have let him have exactly what he wants and with that will come expectation from owners and fans. He couldn't get a tune out of previous players so really he has this season to prove it was them holding us back. Personally I think we will be top 2.. Expecting biv things from Chaplin in particular

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fifeblue added 21:03 - Jul 29 I am loving all the positivity, of course but let's just see where the club stands after ten games or so. There has been lots of recruitment but we are yet to see evidence of a team. The proof of the pudding ...
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istanblue added 21:14 - Jul 29 Remember how the sages on here were saying there was no chance Championship players would drop down a level and come here? LMAFO
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barrystedmunds added 22:23 - Jul 29 It certainly has been a close season like no other and understandably expectations are throu the roof BUT am i the only one who feels slightly apprehensive? To all intents and purposes this is a completely new team who have had limited "gel" time with a manager who since his arrival has talked a good game but hasn't produced much to set the heart racing. There are a lot of reasons for that, the squad he inherited being one of them, but a lot of us were voicing our concerns has to how there had been no "bounce" factor since he came in. Money does not buy success! Ask Derby, so for all the Tractor Cheque Book malarkey nothing is guaranteed, it will still take hard work and good tactical nous. And lets not forget we've been down this road before with a certain Mr Hirst and we all know how that ended. Don't get me wrong. I want this to work, God how I want it to work especially given whats happening up the A14 in Carrot Crunching land; I just hope its not about to go pear shape. Over to you Mr Cook.

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