Town are understood to be close to signing Rotherham United striker Danny Ward. Speaking on Thursday, boss Mick McCarthy, who is also looking to land Fulham frontman Cauley Woodrow, said he was hopeful of adding to his squad early in the transfer window.

The 26-year-old, who scored twice for the Millers in the 2-2 draw with the Blues at Portman Road in October, is out of contract in the summer and bottom-of-the-table Rotherham, who look odds-on to drop into League One, are believed to be willing to accept a fee of around £500,000 for the striker, who would otherwise leave on a free transfer in the summer.

Ward was a schoolboy with hometown club Bradford before joining the Leeds youth set-up and then moving on to Bolton. While with the Trotters he made two senior sub appearances and spent time on loan with Swindon, Coventry and Huddersfield.

He made his move to the Terriers a permanent one in the summer of 2011 for a fee believed to be in the region of £1 million.

Ward was previously targeted by the Blues in 2014 during his time with Huddersfield but he signed a new contract before eventually joining the Millers in January 2015 initially on loan before a fee was agreed and he signed a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Ward, who is naturally left-sided and 5ft 11in tall, has scored nine goals for Rotherham this season.

Speaking after the game at Portman Road, Ward confirmed the 2014 interest from Town: “It was a while ago that McCarthy and the gaffer [then-Millers boss Kenny Jackett] tried to sign me while he was at Wolves and I was at Huddersfield,” he recalled.

“Neither materialised for one reason or another. Nothing got agreed with Ipswich or Wolves.”

As previously reported, the Blues are also believed to be closing in on the signing of 22-year-old Fulham striker Woodrow, who is currently out of favour at Craven Cottage and is understood to be available on loan.

Meanwhile, the Blues and Aldershot are in talks regarding extending midfielder Kundai Benyu’s loan with the Vanarama National League side.

The 19-year-old joined the Shots early in December and has made one start and one sub appearance.

Photo: TWTD

Mark added 16:10 - Dec 31 Sorry, 26-year-old, not 23. Still, decent age.
2

OwainG1992 added 16:17 - Dec 31 Would he happy with this signing. Only concern is if we face competion from say Hudd we may struggle to tie him down. That being said I refuse to see us as a lesser club to them and hope we get him in.
2

casanovacrow added 16:26 - Dec 31 Very much stood out against us, a real grafter. Best link for this window so far.
5

BlueandTruesince82 added 16:30 - Dec 31 Personally know nothing about him but we need goals from somewhere. Let him be the new stumpy.
2

Mick_Mills_Tache added 16:41 - Dec 31 Another player I'd love to see us go for is Hourihane. Young and an excellent attacking midfielder. Averaged 1 in 4 for Barnsley and already has 11 assists this season...
9

woohoo added 16:47 - Dec 31 Thought that he looked an annoying git when they played us. Just what we need!
5

blueboy1981 added 16:54 - Dec 31 ......... we've been 'closing in' a few times before - let's hope this one is real business for a change, and factual. Would start the New Year off on a welcome positive note.
5

Vizslaraner added 17:15 - Dec 31 Exactly the type of player we should be signing. He is very good and happy if it's a permanent deal. The only downside is the idiot in charge will probably ruin him like he does all the gifted players with his negative c..p tactics and football. Otherwise it's the first thing that has got me excited for a long while. COYB
3

Dissboyitfc added 17:16 - Dec 31 Mick Mills Tache... the Conor Hourihane who Jewell decided wasnt good enough and never gave a chance? looks a decent player now and exactly what we need a goal scoring midfielder.
7

Brownie added 17:27 - Dec 31 Hope this one happens as I thought he looked decent when they played here. First of many hopefully for January. COYB!
1

runaround added 17:38 - Dec 31 Was impressive in the 2 all draw down here earlier this season. Will be pleased if we can secure the signing
2

Mick_Mills_Tache added 17:40 - Dec 31 Yes Dissboy, that's the one. I've been saying that we should sign him since the middle of last season. Turned into a cracking player as they usually do when one of our managers decides that they're not good enough. 11 assists is mad at the half way stage of the season.
7

12th_Man added 17:45 - Dec 31 Believe it when or if it happens
3

alfromcol added 17:59 - Dec 31 At least he knows how to play in a struggling team!!!
1

shakytown added 21:12 - Dec 31 Give them douggie as well.
2

LACR added 22:26 - Dec 31 @Vizslaraner - Lawrence and Sears certainly looked ruined when they made their assists last night, as did Dozzell when he bossed the midfield after being introduced... Do you even come to the matches?
0

BrettenhamBlue added 22:44 - Dec 31 Danny Ward is the kind of player we should be signing and it will be good for the squad if it happens. 26 years old, and is getting better as a striker (32 goals since 2011 - but 16 goals since 2015). Can play as a winger and striker so all ticks. Just hope this signing does actually happen. Just have that horrible feeling that we will end up with our usual ageing frees and loans.

1

Pettitt10 added 22:52 - Dec 31 Decent player, only concern is that he's not a direct replacement for murph; different qualities and all. Would love to see this and a murph-like replacement happen. No idea why we're going for Woodrow on loan, pointless.
1

NTHYRKSBLUE added 23:28 - Dec 31 Yes to ward defo no to Woodrow don't need other teams stiffs,more ambition needed
2

LACR added 23:29 - Dec 31 @Pettitt10 - Like Kuqi, I don't think Murphy is replaceable - I can't think of a target man as good as him in our price range, or even most-clubs-in-this-league's price range. I doubt there is such a player. However, if we can sign a real playmaker in midfield, there'll be no need: we can just change our playing style. Just depends on whether ME will free up the money.
1

budgieplucker added 23:48 - Dec 31 Ward will be an excellant signing. Think Woodrow on a loan is worth a punt, he needs to show hunger to get his stalled promising career back on track, if it works we can sign him permanently in the summer. He has height and good feet and scored some good goals, Varney will be on his way at some point between now and the end of the season, Best was only on a years contract so I expect he will be gone at the end of the season

1

martleshamitfc added 00:19 - Jan 1 Has he signed yet? lol
1

Vizslaraner added 00:27 - Jan 1 LACR - if you really believe that then your totally deluded like the rest of the Muck lovers who will put up with anything. One game doesn't make any difference and if you remember rightly he took Freddie and has played him everywhere bar up front. 33 games without a goal. He done this when he had scored six in eight at the beginning of last season. And for your info, yes I do and have been doing so for 40 years which enables me to comment on how the club has gone downhill. I should ask you if you actually know what decent football is and how long have you been going! I have an opinion as do you, so wind your neck in

3

LACR added 00:51 - Jan 1 Vizslaraner - Despite scoring fewer goals, Sears got the 5th highest number of assists in the league last season - not bad for a supposedly 'ruined' player. Also, who else did we have to play out wide? We had Tabb and AMN, whilst Fraser was injured for most of the season. Feeney and Pringle arrived only towards the end of the season. In fairness to Mick, I'm not sure he had much choice - and, as I've noted, he didn't do too badly there, either (altho I will admit he is better up front - but only if he has a big man to play off, like Murph) Also, I'm not disputing the fact that the club has 'gone downhill' - but so have many other clubs, like Forest, Sheffield United, Charlton, Wigan, Blackburn, Wolves, etc. That's not to excuse the fact that we've stayed in the same league for 14 season, but rather to point out that football has changed and will continue to change. We all want to be back in the BPL but just because we have a proud history doesn't mean that we are entitled to be there. And yes, we don't play decent football, but that's because we have such a weak midfield: neither Skuse (altho he's holding player) nor Bru - or any other of our midfielders (Bishop included, tho Dozzell clearly has the potential in this respect), for that matter - are capable of dominating matches from midfield. We need money for that, and Evans has failed to release it. Clearly, we aren't great, but it's tiresome to constantly hear fans solely blame Mick. How can we expect to reach the play-offs when our outlay is so small compared with others contending for the top 6? We haven't paid a penny for a central midfielder - and it shows on the pitch.

2

Vizslaraner added 01:13 - Jan 1 LACR - He may have had the 5th highest as you say, but surely you must see how his confidence was shot due to being played out of position. If you haven't got the players you change the system to suit and not play a striker wide. You say he plays off a big man best, maybe he finds it easier but how many other teams play the way we do. Yes other teams have gone into steady decline, but this is micks team who he said at the start of the season was the best he's had and it's his team. I'm sorry to say it but he's a firefighter and galvanised the place when he came in, but the same happened at wolves and Sunderland. I agree Evans hasn't dipped into his pocket enough but the players you list are his signings and I question what he does on the training ground with them. The teams you mention at least try and play better football. You are right when you say we are not entitled to be in the PL and that's not my beef, it's the rubbish this man dishes up. George burley had to play with far less than mick has and he used to buy players and improve them, I don't see that is happening under mick. When I say he ruins players I am alluding to the fact that they play to rigid instruction and are not allowed to express themselves. It's all to do with improving players technically and you can already see Grant Ward is fed up with how he is being made to play. I agree we need a central midfielder but the club need to expand their scouting network, gems are out there and I can list players who cost peanuts. We currently do all our business in the championship and only signed Knudsen from a football stat package. I just hope we can get back to how we were as the next generation of fans will walk away and once we have gone the club will be even further behind. I just want the best for my club I love and always will, but something has to change and soon

7

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls