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

GiveusaWave added 02:51 - Jan 1 I mirror the thinking of Pettit10 on Ward, potentially a good signing but we need to make sure we replace Murphy. Woodrow is not a replacement for Murphy either. If we get Ward, Woodrow plus Murphs replacement in, we shouldn't need to sign up Varney and have cover if McGoldrick gets injured again. I hope I am proved wrong on this, but Best should be back up not a starter or a sub. Pittman, Sears, McGoldrick, Woodrow, Ward and Murphs replacement gives plenty of good competition up front and gives us plenty of firepower from the subs bench. But this deal is far from finalised and we may have competition for his signature, especially now that news of the potential deal has broken. Vizslaraner Just for interest, which players would you list that cost peanuts?

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BillBlue added 07:35 - Jan 1 I will give an opinion if we sign him (Ward) and I see where he is fitted into the team on a permanent basis. MM might be signing him to play at left back for all any of us know. It is not just a striker and a midfielder we need the WHOLE defence (apart from Goalie) need sorting out. I think (hope) Dozell opened Micks eyes on Friday but will he keep them open and have the guts to let the other youngsters show us what they can do. That way we would have a half decent team - but would still need somebody for training, tactics and replacements.

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BillBlue added 07:38 - Jan 1 ps. A happy new year to all readers, writers and TWTD staff. I wish for you all that a few miracles happen and we end up successful and playing good football near the top.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 08:57 - Jan 1 Pity this is in thd public domain, if he is any good clubs with bigger wages will snap him up, eg Leeds
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grumpyoldman added 09:13 - Jan 1 All this talk about a direct replacement for Murphy is misguided, if we get a similar player that means the style will not change, the tactic will be punt it up to the big guy and try to feed off the scraps. This tactic has only been really successful for one season, clubs after that set themselves up to stifle it quite easily and MM didn't have a plan B.
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GiveusaWave added 09:14 - Jan 1 Sounds like our first activity could be an exit. Varney to Port Vale. He will do well there.
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RYITFC added 09:19 - Jan 1 It would appear a good signing, however are we making the same mistake again in getting a player in who we don't really need. The biggest problem we've had is not having that focal point up top, someone to make the ball stick i.e like for like replacement for Murphy. Haven't seen much of Woodrow but being the age he is & it only being a short term deal he isn't the answer. Just think we're buying who's available rather than what we really need. Could also do with another centre midfielder, box to box type & another wide player. A right back if Mick doesn't think Emanuel is going to make the grade.

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Dissboyitfc added 09:32 - Jan 1 LACR... yes it does show we havent spent on the central midfield positions, but its a midfield that he sticks with and time and time again he plays the skuglas twins, which never works. The football on the pitch is down to mick, he has been building it four years and he himself described it, "as the best he has had". There is no blaming anybody for the rubbish he turns out!

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Keaneish added 09:37 - Jan 1 @Guentchev - not sure about peanuts but Marc Pugh isn't getting a look in at Bournemouth and could be worth a look. Bags of experience and plenty of goals from midfield and well known to Pitman. I'm a fan of Luke Freeman at Bristol City. Gone off the boil a bit this season but was class last year and his contract is up this season. Need a decent ball player in our midfield. I'd also like us to go after a right back in the mould of Jack Hunt from Sheffield Wednesday... Pugh on loan with a view to a permanent deal, a bid for Freeman and a right back ala hunt from a lower division side to accompany the incoming strikers would be a great window for me.

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Taricco_Fan added 09:58 - Jan 1 Proven goalscorer, good age, left-sided, reasonable fee... What's not to like?
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:26 - Jan 1 IF it happens Ward would be a good signing, I think we will have a lot of competition though,hope we ''strike while iron is hot '',,get it done Evans
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muccletonjoe added 11:43 - Jan 1 Midfield is the area we need to sort first. We need another option to skuse and someone who will make douglas redundant.
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GerkensBeard added 12:39 - Jan 1 Would very much welcome this addition! Quick and powerful never gives defenders a moments rest! Play him with sears up top get his confidence back and that could be a formidable partnership! Yes he may be 5ft 11 but he won plenty in the air against us and to put his height in comparison with someone else Chris Martin for Fulham is the same height yet batters centre halfs. Only problem is the fact he is versatile, and that's a problem as I could see him being stuck out on the wing which is where he started his career. And it showed how much better we were the other night with our front 6 in the closing stages all in their proper positions.

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runningout added 14:34 - Jan 1 Like most of you slightly optimistic people, I know jack sh*t of Danny Ward
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Gates2Reuser added 14:50 - Jan 1 Makes sense now, as when recently interviewed, Warnock talked about signing Danny Ward, then corrected himself and said Grant. Probably had been talking to McCarthy about him?
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Seasider added 17:18 - Jan 1 Presume you were not at PR , running out,when Ward was their o/s player against us.He may be 5'11" but think Ray Crawford was about that,and as somebody said that ex Canary Martin! Think he would make a great addition;but liked it more when Mick used to announce a signing out of the blue,as get nervous when a name is bandied about. Have noticed Conor Hourihane has been mentioned recently on Channel 5.Thought it must be the same player as bought by Roy Keane,and given a free transfer to Plymouth by Paul Jewell in July 2011;so cant be that young,although possibly mid twenties. Ideal for our midfield.Although we already have Kevin Bru,who I rate,Town are still light in that department with only Bishop and Williams(injured)and Skues.I do not consider Digby,Coke or Douglas to be of sufficient standard to make other than a cameo appearance at best in our first team.Then we have son of Jason,who I agree with Mick,is not yet ready to play regularly for 90 minutes every week The Club/Manager/Owner and CEO have certainly sounded as though they are treating this window seriously .Lets hope they are,and we are able to bring in two or three players,which Mick has said was needed to freshen things up!

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Mick_Mills_Tache added 18:00 - Jan 1 Hourihane is only 25, Seasider. He is the type of player that we desperately need..able to control a game from the midfield, chips in with the goals and sets up tonnes of chances (11 assists in the league already this season!) Although I've read somewhere that Celtic, Rangers and Villa I believe.
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mrmorisato added 19:57 - Jan 1 RegencyBlue added 14:55 - Dec 31 Nine goals this season for a struggling side is not a bad haul. We've been linked with much worse in our time! - See more at: http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/30873/town-closing-in-on-rotherham-strik ...You took the words right outta my mouth, a player who has scored 9 goals in 24 games in a side that is destined for League 1. Just imagine what he could achieve in a team that will hopefully be creating more chances? If we're going to let Varney and Best go then so be it, Best does hold the ball up well though :)

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TractorBeezer added 20:04 - Jan 1 runnung out.... We have Ward's statistics as well as comments from Rotherham fans. Also many of our supporters saw him in action in the recent 2-2 draw. No doubt we have had our scouts out too. Still sounds promising.
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pastystringbean added 20:50 - Jan 1 I don't know what people have got against cauley Woodrow, on football manager 2017 he's half decent, although I have just won the treble with the mighty town so might be a bit far from the truth ;-)
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Fartman added 21:56 - Jan 1 @LWNR2013: From another mother I presume
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runningout added 23:37 - Jan 1 I was Seasider.. that's one game. I've had a few good games in my time, and I'm cr*p
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blues1 added 11:19 - Jan 2 Dont why so many seem against Woodrow. Ok, he'd be a loan but that's no reason to slag him off as rubbish. He isn't. He's a decent player, remember a couple of years ago he was being lauded by many experts. He has suffered mainly due to Fulham changing their manager a few times. Plus to say Ward is great but Woodrow is rubbish doesn't make sense when their goal ratio is identical (both 1 in 6). The only thing i would say is that it should be with a view to a permanent move rather thsn a straight loan with no prospect of him staying at end of loan

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