The final day of the transfer window is set to see more exits than signings with manager Kieran McKenna having said “the majority of the work is done” regarding rebuilding his squad at Friday’s press conference.

It’s been a busy and sometimes chaotic window at Portman Road with more exits than perhaps anticipated, among them key players from the last few seasons including skipper Sam Morsy, Cameron Burgess, Massimo Luongo and Axel Tuanzebe, as well as the big-money departures of Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson.

Thursday and Friday saw four players added to the squad, Darnell Furlong, Ivan Azon, Marcelino Nunez and Sindre Walle Egeli, which appeared to cover most of the more obvious gaps in the squad.

The main issue at hand ahead of this evening’s 7pm deadline will be reducing numbers with 30 senior players over 21 and consequently qualifying for the 25-man squad.

Conor Townsend, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, won’t be registered meaning four players have to leave.

The most likely permanent exit is Luke Woolfenden, who manager Kieran McKenna confirmed on Saturday has told the club he wants to move on with his opportunities for the campaign ahead looking limited.

As previously reported, Coventry, Stoke City and Watford are all keen on the 26-year-old.

Town had been in talks with Club America regarding Sebastian Caceres coming in as a replacement but that potential move broke down.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Blues had had a loan enquiry for Manchester City youngster Stephen Mfuni rebuffed and a fifth loanee looks like the most obvious route should Woolfenden’s departure be confirmed and Town look to recruit a replacement.

But it may well be the Blues are happy with the options they now have with Darnell Furlong also able to operate at the centre of the defence as well as at right-back.

McKenna revealed at the weekend that Chieo Ogbene could go out on loan with a number of clubs interested with Sheffield United emerging as one of them last night.

The Blues boss said after the Bromley game that Elkan Baggott had been left out so as not to potentially cause an issue later on in the season should the Indonesia international need to be sent out to two different clubs over the course of the season, so he looks set to move out on loan today.

Harry Clarke, Ali Al-Hamadi and Cameron Humphreys are all coming back from injury but McKenna says will be fit after the international break and any of the three could depart as the Blues look to get to 25 senior players.

TWTD revealed earlier in the window that Luton Town were eyeing Humphreys, their manager Matt Bloomfield having taken him to Wycombe last year. Oxford may be another potential loan club for the midfielder with ex-Town academy coach and scout Scott Mitchell their head of recruitment having been in the same role with the Chairboys last summer.

However, Humphreys can also cover at left-back and the Blues will need what the EFL term a ‘club developed player’ in their 25-man squad in order to be allowed nine rather than eight senior subs with Woolfenden having previously fulfilled that position.

Al-Hamadi was also interesting the Hatters earlier in the close season as well as Ligue 1 Toulouse with Charlton and Cardiff also linked.

In addition, some of those under-21 and not qualifying for the squad could also move out on loan.

Fin Barbrook could get a spell in League One or Two, while Tudor Mendel has made an impressive start in the U21s. McKenna was spotted chatting to Colchester boss Danny Cowley at the JobServe Community Stadium on Friday and the U’s may be among those interested in the former Anderlecht man or someone else in John McGreal and Chris Casement’s squad.

Photo: IMAGO/Pro Sports Images via Reuters Connect

PortmanTerrorist added 10:20 - Sep 1 I can generally understand our transfer strategy, but our mismanagement of Burgess and Woolfy does not sit right. I can understand bringing in O'Shea (never a captain) and Grieves, but they should have been made to earn the shirts as I do not beleive they have shown as an upgrade on the 2 in the building....and we have lost Woolfy's ability to put his foot on the ball, spray it or bring it forward; yes Grieves tries to do that but just not an upgrade for me. Woolfy could/should be our captain now, instead we are likely to lose him, strengthen another team, and yet I understand why he wants to leave and will (as with Burg) wish him all the best for everything he has done and given the Club.

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MickMillsTash added 10:23 - Sep 1 Bringing in a big Keiffer Moore type player would not be a bad thing if the teams we face are going to play 5-5-0 against us. Why didn't Grieves go upfront for the last 10 and the 17 minutes of injury time on Saturday? Hate Derby!
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ArnieM added 10:39 - Sep 1 I cant believe the level of blubbing on this forum for what is a bang average player. Woolfie is not a particularly stunning defender in my view. My observations of him are as follows, he rarely dominates his marker in the box, can't especially header a ball well, rarely if ever tackles. Yes, he brings the ball out of defence, but at a slow walking pace. He then stops, puts his foot on the ball, walks with it a bit more and finally 99.9% of the time thrn pass the ball 2 yards to his right to the right back. McKenna ( everyone's messiah on here) has used Woolfenden less and less, and there has to be a reason for that. He's an excellent coach and if Woolfie was truly that good he'd be in the team. Overall Id say Woolfenden is an excellent league one player, average CC pkayer and never a PL level. All said and done hes been treated no worse than Chaplin, Hirst, or Broadhead and will undoubtedly move on. I wish him well, but he really isn't anything special.

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Dug added 11:01 - Sep 1 West Ham changed their formation this week and walloped Aston Villa sadly our manager sticks with his formation that others have now sussed out! Try a 3-5-2 with Kipre in the middle of greaves and O’Shea toughen up our defence ,then an exciting two up front with Akpom and one other. Hirst needs dropping and so does Davis, a strong midfield with two wing players either side of a Cajuste,Nunez,Matasuwi trio will see us defend in numbers and attack in numbers, our style of play has become to predictable and it needs a change.

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Lightningboy added 11:02 - Sep 1 Shouldn't a good coach/manager be able to get the best out of what he has rather than having to bring in player after player?...Portman Road has been like a conveyor belt over the last 16 months. Must be around 40+ players in and out..uttely ridiculous...the club need to realise that the fans need to build a connection with the players,you can't do that with endless comings and goings. I'll never forget the team of the 80s,the 91 team,2000 team or the team of 2022-24..things look shambolic at the moment which is probably why the football is looking shambolic..what happens if we're nowhere near the top 6 come Christmas?..another 9 or 10 ins and outs in January. Time McKenna settled on a team & got them back to playing good football.

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WeWereZombies added 11:15 - Sep 1 You're slipping Phil, surely there should have been a 'Dawn Of The Departures' article first thing this morning before the 'Day Of The Departures' article. It's what I would have done...
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blueboy1981 added 11:20 - Sep 1 McKenna continues to prove with every game, tactics (the same time after time, after time) that he is the clueless Ipswich Messiah. Unless things change - then already fear where we may well end up !! The Gap is already wide, significant, and cannot be dismissed.
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jas0999 added 11:26 - Sep 1 If Wolfie and Baggott both go, I’d like to see a replacement as despite the versatility of other defenders, it’s crucial we have four natural CBs.
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Gazelle added 11:43 - Sep 1 Arnie I agree with you entirely , good footballer but was often outmuscled by a strong opponent.
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TimmyH added 12:22 - Sep 1 Have to agree with some posts regarding the club being a merry go round transfer wise currently...question is will it sit as an excuse for McK if we're well down the table in December insisting that with so many new faces in and no doubt unsettled starting 11 for the foreseeable. Hope I'm wrong.
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EuanTown added 12:33 - Sep 1 Blimey Tuesday is gonna be really boring. I will have to do some work all day, and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, that will come as both a shock to me and my boss.
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StowTractor added 13:07 - Sep 1 EuanTown. If we get the squad down to 25 today we can always deregister Wes till January as he is unlikely to be fit until late December. We can then have a week of speculation about what free agent we might bring in. I think Josh Brownhill hasn't found a club yet, just saying.
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