Transfer-listed Ipswich Town striker Paul Taylor has joined newly-promoted Championship rivals Rotherham United on loan, the club have announced.

The Liverpudlian was signed by former boss Paul Jewell, from Peterborough United, for a fee of £1.5m on summer transfer deadline day in 2012. After an impressive start to his Blues career he suffered a season-ending foot injury in his third appearance and eventually returned to fitness – after a nine month absence – to find his chances limited under new boss Mick McCarthy.

The 26-year-old was loaned back to his former club for a short spell towards the beginning of last season and made just four league and 11 substitute appearances in the league upon his return.

McCarthy confirmed that the direct-running front man – who still has a year left to run on his deal – had been transfer-listed at end of the campaign, stating that the ‘maverick’ forward ‘just isn’t for me’.

He featured regularly in pre-season and caught the eye as a surprise starter in Tuesday night’s 1-0 Capital One Cup defeat at League One side Crawley Town. However, the Blues boss reiterated after that match that Taylor was still very much out of his plans and could find himself another club.

Taylor joins former Town players Scott Loach, Frazer Richardson and Paul Green at The New York Stadium, with manager Steve Evans having invested heavily since their promotion from the third tier last season.

Town host the Millers on September 27, but Taylor is unlikely to be able to play in that fixture as part of the loan agreement.

With Taylor understood to be the highest earning player at Portman Road by a distance, McCarthy’s wage budget has now been freed up and he may now be able to add a top Premier League loan player or two to his squad over the coming weeks.