Town’s opening-day opponents Sunderland are being linked with Blues keeper Alex Palmer.

According to the Daily Mail, the 30-year-old is an option for the Black Cats to replace Anthony Patterson, who is closing in on an £8 million move to Wrexham, who were also understood to be interested in Palmer.

The former West Brom man looks well down the pecking order at Portman Road following the summer recruitment of Dutch pair Kjell Scherpen and Kayne van Oevelen having lost his place to Christian Walton last season.

Palmer missed Saturday’s penultimate friendly against Ray Vallecano due to a sore elbow, which had been troubling him for a number of games.

Elsewhere, on-loan Blues keeper Cieran Slicker missed Barnsley’s on-penalties Carabao Cup victory over Wigan at the weekend having suffered an injury in training last week.

“I hope Slicks is back in the next weeks, but I think he needs a little bit of time,” head coach Daniel Stendel said.

“He has an appointment with a specialist. I don’t really know at the moment the right answer [on how long he’s going to be out], but I think at start of next week we will have more more information and then I can answer the question.”

Photo: Matchday Images