If the Harry Bunn deal goes through within the next twenty four hours, he could be eligible to play for the Blues on Saturday when Ipswich take on Birmingham City at Portman Road.
The 5ft 9in tall winger started his career with Manchester City during which time he had loan spells at Rochdale, Preston and hometown club Oldham and then at Crewe, Sheffield United and Huddersfield, who he finally joined on a permanent deal in the January of 2014.
The 24 year old started his career as an out and out striker but these days prefers a wide berth – although he has been known to play in central midfield and also in an Eric Gates role, just behind the main strike force.
Town have put in a bid of 480,000 pounds but the Terriers want at least 500,000 for a player who was once valued at around one million but his current market value is said to be just 425,000 so the Blues would already be forced to pay over the odds for him.
This does not resolve our central striker problem but getting a new attacking option through the door before Saturday, would help to relieve some of the current doom and gloom about the place.
There is further encouraging news because we are not the only club suffering the dreaded depleted squad syndrome. Manager Harry Redknapp’s team starts the season at Ipswich on Saturday without their main striker Lukas Jutkiewicz.
The 28-year-old was injured in the first half of their final pre-season friendly against Swansea City, which they lost 2-0 and the Birmingham boss is down to the bare bones.
This week he made unsuccessful bids for Bristol City defensive duo Joe Bryan and Aden Flint and he has just two fit strikers in Clayton Donaldson and Che Adams to call upon.
He has been in the market for another striker for weeks now and forward Ravel Morrison is also yet to join the club – despite spending the past month training with Redknapp’s squad and this is because Italian club Lazio are holding out for more money for him.
In midfield too, Redknapp is having kittens because midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu rejected the chance to link up with the Blues in favour of a move to Turkish side Bursaspor and of course those twin bids for the Bristol City defenders were considered derisory by the board.
All things considered then, we go into our first Championship match of the season in much better spirits.
Now it is up to the players to wear that Town shirt with pride and total commitment and quickly erase the memory of the week before.
Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich
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