Town manager Kieran McKenna says he’s happy to have signed defender Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta for the rest of the season with the former Norwich and Everton man hungry to make the move to Portman Road.

The 26-year-old twice-capped England international’s recruitment from the Serie A side was confirmed shortly after the end of the 2-2 home draw at Fulham.

“We’re positive about it and we’re happy to have him,” McKenna said. “It’s an area of the team that we wanted to strengthen.

“Axel Tuanzebe’s been a really important player for us at the start of the season but has missed quite a lot of time. He hopefully isn’t months away but has missed quite a lot of time and we’ve missed that profile a little bit in terms of a centre-back who can play right-back and is strong one-v-one and has good physicality.

“Ben comes in and gives us another one of that profile in the squad. Has Premier League experience, is hungry to come here, is a strong character and I’m really happy to have him for the second half of the season.”

Godfrey is reunited with Jack Clarke at Town, the pair having attended the Archbishop Holgate School in York.

McKenna was quizzed on which other positions he wants to strengthen during January with the Blues having made a £16 million offer for Liverpool forward Ben Doak, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough.

Town are understood to be maintaining their pursuit and it would be little surprise if they were to make an offer which would match the record £20 million they paid Chelsea as an initial fee for Omari Hutchinson in the summer.

“We have areas, strengthening the right side of our defence was one which we’ve done today,” McKenna said.

“I’ve said it before, so it’s not unknown, that we want to add in the forward areas well. We’ve missed George Hirst for well over 50 per cent of our games now, so we’ve been so heavily reliant on Liam [Delap] and we need support in that area and want to add more goals to the squad if possible.

“But I’m pretty sure every club in world football will have the same sort of wish-list in January, so let’s see what we can do.”

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