Blues left-back Matt Penney is expected to return to Portman Road at least temporarily with his six-month loan with Motherwell having come to an end following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Ross County.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed an impressive half-season at Fir Park, carrying off the club’s October and November Player of the Month awards having made 18 appearances in total.

According to the Daily Record, Blues boss Kieran McKenna is likely to assess Penney before making a decision on the full-back’s future.

However, an eventual return to Motherwell seems the most likely scenario with the Scottish Premiership side’s manager Steven Hammell having said earlier this month: “We’ve been in dialogue with Matty and with Ipswich, and we’re hoping that we can come to a conclusion with that.”

Quizzed about Penney at the end of December, Blues boss McKenna said: “Matt Penney’s loan expires in the middle of January, so for the moment he’s playing and playing an important role and doing well there.

“That’s good and he’ll see out that loan move and we’ll have those discussions in a few weeks’ time with him about what the next step is.”

Penney, who joined the Blues on a two-year deal with the club having an option for a further season after leaving Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2021, made 21 starts and five sub appearances for Town, scoring once, prior to his summer move to Scotland.

Photo: TWTD

Suffolkboy added 19:24 - Jan 16 Looks like a proper move away soon . Coyb
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Linkboy13 added 19:25 - Jan 16 Although Davis is a better player there are similarities both are attacking full backs who have defensive weaknesses. We have conceded goals in the left back position several times this season Plymouth's goal Saturday was a prime example. Don't know what's happened to Edmundson but if fit i would possibly have brought him on in the latter stages and moved Burgess to left back. We are a very good team going forward but not good at sitting back and defending leads.

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Pilgrimblue added 20:03 - Jan 16 Not an easy decision. Is he better than we have or could his return strengthen the squad? Ok so the defence hasn't been capable of keeping the opposition out but I'd counter that by saying that we're just as bad at finishing teams off. One nil is never enough so instead of putting pressure on ourselves surely would be better to exploit the gaps as they press forward. There's a lot for KM to think about this week so hope he gets it right!

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micky_1560 added 20:09 - Jan 16 Penny had some awful games for us, that may have been because the side at the time was struggling. But allowing him to go on loan, I would say McKenna doesn't rate him. Not a player for me I'm afraid.
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RobsonWark added 20:15 - Jan 16 We saw how bad he was when he was in the team. Looked like a little boy way out of his league. We don't need him back. He would be taking a place of someone else in the 22 man squad.
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Billericay12 added 21:10 - Jan 16 We don't need 3 left backs. He is not as good as Davis or Leigh. I think Leigh is defensively the most solid but Davis is better going forward and quality of his deliveries are better. I've said before a wing back is a tough position to fill. They need so many different qualities. Not many are good defenders and good going forwards
4

BlueInBerks added 21:40 - Jan 16 KMc has already said we need to score more goals. He knows where we are impotent and will sort it, hence the signings Would not be surprised to see another top signing at full back
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Ipswichbusiness added 21:53 - Jan 16 Penny was a Cook signing, Davis and Leigh are KMc signings. KMc will go with his own, we don't need Penny as well (Humphreys can play left-back if needs be). Penny will be moved on. I wish him all the best.
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OwainG1992 added 23:33 - Jan 16 To me he's a better player than Leigh. I'd keep him here.
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johnwarksshorts added 06:29 - Jan 17 Left back position is covered by 2 better players than Penney. Let him go back to Motherwell where he's enjoying his football. We do have a problem holding onto a 1 0 lead late on in games so hopefully with the 2 new strikers we can make it more than 1 0 and hold on.
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TractorfactorSteve added 08:37 - Jan 17 Watching Sportscene (Scottish football highlights) Penney looks like a big fish in a very small pond. It'd be very different for him down south, paticularly were we to be promoted. Long term he has a better future in Scotland where much of the football is little better than EFL Div. One.
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SamWhiteUK added 09:27 - Jan 17 How does the squad size work with this? Surely he'd take up a slot if we chose to keep him here? Seems to me that he'll quite clearly be going back if that's the case - he won't get in here above Leigh and Davis.
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blues1 added 10:19 - Jan 17 Linkboy13. The trouble with edmondson is, if playing on the left of the 3 cbs, hes a liability. We've conceded far more goals with him playing there, than with burgess. Think if he plays, it has to be central or on the right, where he looks more comfortable, but that obviously would mean dropping woolfie or donacien.
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:28 - Jan 17 cant see him being kept with us, credit to him for Player of the month ,but imo its not the same in Scottish leagues, We will hopefully sign a better player and our goal scoring may get better once new strikers are up and running .Whatever happens we really need to ''grasp the nettle'' for remainder of season and fight for promotion, its no certainty that a team will improve season on season , we need to get out of Lge 1 this season .

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Karlosfandangal added 11:09 - Jan 17 Think Town should see if he has improved by playing regular before we right him off….remember Donacien
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dirtydingusmagee added 12:06 - Jan 17 know what you mean Karlos, but can we risk it in our position , i dont know .
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blues1 added 12:18 - Jan 17 Karlosfandangek. Problem is, in order for us to play him, we'd have to leave some1 else out of the 22 man squad, which has to be named again at end of thr transfer window. So he can't play before that. And if he doesn't perform we're stuck with him in the squad.until the end of the season, and the playercleft out cannot play again this season. So suspect he'll go before end of january. Shame as I don't believe he's as bad as some make out. Has had both good and bad games for us. But with Davis and leigh, both better than him, its probably best for both parties for him to move on.

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terryf added 12:35 - Jan 17 SADLY LIGHTWEIGHT LAST SEASON ALTHOUGH OK WITH CROSSING THE BALL. WITH ONLY A COUPLE OF POSITIONS IN THE SQUAD AVAILABLE, ASSUMING GASSAN GOES OUT ON LOAN TO BURTON I THINK MCKENNA WILL BE LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD FOR THE RUN IN.
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bluesheds added 13:27 - Jan 17 so rumor is, Harrison Clark is back from Arsenal. possibly signed but most likely loan till end of season.
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PortmanTerrorist added 13:32 - Jan 17 We have what we need in Penny's position at this time. having said that, if we do not get promoted, then can see Championship (or higher) interest in Davis in the Summer and then Penny could come back in as back-up to Greg Leigh who is definitely the best defender in the group of 3, and should ALWAYS be on the bench. McK has not got much wrong this season, but if Leigh's absence from the bench on Saturday was tactical, then would see that as a mistake....same goes for away at Charlton where his aerial prowess would have also played a part. These are fine margin calls of course, but this season could be defined by small margins.

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Karlosfandangal added 14:07 - Jan 17 Blues1 Good point He would only ever play 2nd fiddle to Davi's. Think he should go back out on loan and then decide who is better Leigh or Penny. I agree with you I think Leigh is better of what I have seen of them both
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Karlosfandangal added 14:13 - Jan 17 Blues1 On another point if we have our 22 players…..Whittaker won't be joining unless town unload a couple of players so you right about Penny
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Ipswichbusiness added 15:38 - Jan 17 Bluesheds; according to Wikipedia, Harrison “Harry” Clarke is on loan to Stoke for the whole season, but I suppose that he could have been recalled.
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Linkboy13 added 16:57 - Jan 17 Rumour is Whittaker could be going to Rangers according to Talksport. I cannot work out how he's not good enough for Swansea's squad bearing in mind they are not exactly pulling up trees. I suppose it emphasises how big the gap is between league one and championship. Sunderland are doing quite well but that's a bit of a one off.
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