No players will be moving in or out of Town before tonight’s 11pm deadline, however, free agent former Manchester United centre-half Axel Tuanzebe will be joining the Blues on trial.

Town have been looking to add another central defender to their ranks ahead of the window closing this evening.

However, with Tuanzebe a free agent having been released by United in May, a deal can be done outside the transfer window. Claims on social media that the player, who was at Portman Road today, was close to signing but had an issue with a Town medical are wide of the mark.

Manager Kieran McKenna knows Tuanzebe from their time at Old Trafford together and will now run the rule over him during the international break before making a decision on whether to add the 25-year-old to his squad.

Former England U19, U20 and U21 international Tuanzebe, who has been linked with the Blues throughout the transfer window, has been training with Premier League new boys Luton Town recently but was unable to agree terms on a deal, despite impressing.

Congo DR-born Tuanzebe moved to the UK aged four and came through the ranks at the Red Devils’ academy.

The 6ft 1in tall defender made his United debut in the FA Cup in January 2017 and went on to make 21 starts and 15 sub appearances for United without scoring.

While at United, he had three spells on loan at Aston Villa and further stints at Napoli, where he played only two games, and in the second half of last season Stoke City, making four starts and one sub appearance, having been hampered by injury.

In addition to the trial spell with Luton and links with the Blues, Tuanzebe has also been mentioned in connection with moves to another of the newly-promoted Premier League clubs, Sheffield United, and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking earlier today, manager McKenna said there might be one more exit before the window closed, which is understood to have been Elkan Baggott moving out on loan, almost certainly to Blackpool.

However, with no senior centre-half lined up before the deadline, the Indonesia international will now be remaining at Town until January at least.

The transfer window will close with the Blues having signed six players, Jack Taylor, Cieran Slicker, George Hirst and loan trio Omari Hutchinson, Brandon Williams and Dane Scarlett.

Town have 25 players who qualify for the 25-man EFL squad which would become 26 with Tuanzebe but with fourth-choice keeper Nick Hayes likely to be left out and then perhaps loaned to a Vanarama National League side at some stage.

Deadline day passed with Kyle Edwards's loan switch to Oxford United the only business.

Photo: SIPA USA

Paulc added 21:40 - Sep 1 Some of our ‘fans’ stun me with their comments and sense of entitlement. We’ve got a great squad, our expectations this year should be to cement ourselves in the top half of the table with anything more than that being a bonus. Some people on here will be moaning if we’re not promoted by march. Everyone needs to chill the **** out and trust those decision makers that have taken us this far to date. I really don’t know what you were all expecting.

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ArnieM added 21:41 - Sep 1 “ set for trial “…. Sorry but this feels so wrong. Why the hell haven’t we been able to sign a decent fit, experienced CB from somewhere? What we have isn’t in my view strong enough for the championship and an injury to any of them, sorely tests the central defensive “ squad”. And where’s the additional experienced striker? Sorry, not meaning to be moaning or pessimistic but I’m Feeling quite deflated by it all right now tbh

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SickParrot added 21:41 - Sep 1 We do need another central defender. I assume that we couldn't get who we really wanted, probably because the fee or wage demands were too high. Tuanzebe was probably our back up plan but maybe with KM's guidance he can rediscover the form that got him into the Utd team as a 19 year old. Fingers crossed on that. I don't understand why some on here are having a go at Ashton. Since he said he expected at least 2 or 3 more we have signed Williams and Scarlett.

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bringonbrazil added 21:42 - Sep 1 Is Williams seriously earning £65k a week? Crazy world we live in. Looking forward to seeing how good Scarlett is. Hirst is our best bit of business since May.
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Phil1969 added 21:42 - Sep 1 It’s ffp it’s lack of ability in negotiating or what ever. We’ll see at Christmas!
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Tractor_Boy_Tommy added 21:43 - Sep 1 Well mr Ashton that hasn’t gone to plan has it hope this decision doesn’t come back and bite us
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Jack27 added 21:43 - Sep 1 It’s interesting…the whole FFP situation would appear to be why we’ve taken a different route to what many were expecting…however that doesn’t necessarily tie up with what we were linked with earlier in the window. Ellis Simms for example. Surely we didn’t think we could get him for £1.5m? If we did then I’d say it was a touch naive. If not, it suggests there is money there to spend.

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wingerii added 21:43 - Sep 1 Too much change destabilises. You only have to look at just before our fantastic run what a few changes will do. It’s better to do this steadily in my view.
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SWBlue22 added 21:45 - Sep 1 Ah well still going to win the league
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Guthrum added 21:46 - Sep 1 Most importantly, we haven't lost any of our current key players. We've turned two of last season's most important loans into permanents. Plus we've added a well-regarded young midfielder, some young Prem talent on loan and an ex-ManU defender to have a look at. I'm not going to grumble, particularly given our record and League position so far this season.
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Powrigan added 21:53 - Sep 1 We really needed to add more quality. But if a mid to lower table finish is their aim, who are we to argue.
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CalneBlue added 21:55 - Sep 1 Some ridiculously negative and ill informed comments on here. Anyone remember deadline days of the McCarthy-Evans when if we were lucky we might persuade a thirty something has been journeyman to join on loan? We have a great squad of players who have already proved we can hold our own in this league. Get a grip please!
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BlueNomad added 21:59 - Sep 1 Since Ashton mentioned “two or three”. Hutchinson, Williams and Scarlett makes three according to my maths. More fun to moan I guess…..
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EricGatesShinpad added 22:00 - Sep 1 Interedting! I am reliably informed this chap once had Mpappe in his pocket when he played in the Champions League.... Got to be worth a look......
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planetblue_2011 added 22:01 - Sep 1 Cant see what the panic is all about!! we have signed a great young talent up front which will definitely help us!! Players like Aluko, Harness, Ladapo, Humphrey’s, Evans, Ball & Edmundson could play play in the Championship and probably missed a few players out, can’t get in the team and sit on the bench not really getting proper match practice, we are lucky to have in our squad. There is a lot of experience on the bench that will help us. Injuries could pay a price but it will be the same for most teams. Think we have a great squad to compete just give the team a chance. We are only 4 league games in, 5 tomorrow. COYB we can do this⚽️

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Lukeybluey added 22:02 - Sep 1 But I managed to sign Messi on football manager...
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Powrigan added 22:04 - Sep 1 At the people down arrowing my comment, do you honestly think our back up players are of a half decent championship calibre?
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gosblue added 22:08 - Sep 1 Primary targets in the door, plus Walton, Davis, Burns, Morsy still here despite rumoured big money interest from elsewhere. That’s a reasonably successful window for me. I suspect some of our targets may have gone elsewhere for stupid money. We have been successfully building a team to compete in the championship for a couple of years, not just one Friday in September to please one or two of our never satisfied supporters who should go and be plastic supporters at the top of the premier league. Roy Keane ripped the heart out of this club and it has taken another United hero to put it back. I for one am enjoying every moment.

8

Powrigan added 22:22 - Sep 1 Do you not agree then, young BlueRuin?
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Essexipswichboy added 22:24 - Sep 1 Calneblue Is there anything more negative than bringing up the past dark days Stop moaning about fans when your argument is rubbish like that
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churchmans added 22:25 - Sep 1 I think we have had a good transfer window! Squad is strong with the games so far proving that! Williams and scarlets are great additions,Williams has had a weston-super mare in his first two games but he has been out of first team action for a while and I think/hope he will get much much better
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Essexipswichboy added 22:28 - Sep 1 Blues 1 You are the idiot Ok 6 players .....how many have started so far We lined up against Leeds with a team that last season would have lined up against Forest Green Can you not see the problem
2

barrystedmunds added 22:39 - Sep 1 Rome, as the saying goes, wasn’t built in a day. We had an exceptional window last time out and time will tell as to how successful this one has been. Like most on here, I trust what KMcK and Ashton are attempting, but I get the apprehension by some regarding the personnel brought in. Keep the faith!
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ad_wilkin added 22:41 - Sep 1 I think this has been a very good window. We were only ever going to get players that improved the squad and that was always going to be hard. Not many players i'd swap Davis, Woolfy, Morsy, Chaplin, Broadhead or Burns for in this league. All of the signings we've made bring a splash of Prem quality, a couple of highly rated youngsters and different options to playing styles which will be useful when we face a variety of teams over the course of the season.

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foreverthebeat added 22:42 - Sep 1 Tuanzebe just might be the answer still got Baggott so now have plenty of quality cover
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