Ipswich Town new boy Adam Webster faces a race against time to be fit for the start of the season.

The 21-year-old ball-playing centre-back has been recruited from League Two side Portsmouth for £700,000, plus highly-rated teenage defender Matt Clarke, with Mick McCarthy hopeful the former England Under-19 international can help his team be a little less direct.

The only problem is that he injured his ankle at York back in April and was subsequently out for the play-offs as Paul Cook’s men narrowly lost to Plymouth in the semi-finals.

“I’m still injured,” revealed Webster, who has been training on an AlterG (anti-gravity) treadmill.

“I did my ankle at York last season and tried to get back for the play-offs – maybe that wasn’t the best idea because I was never going to be fit.

“But it’s feeling good now and I’m not too far away. I’ll be training in a couple of weeks so hopefully I can get some games in and some minutes.

“Then I want to be available for the start of the season.”

The Town squad flew out to Dublin yesterday morning to begin their annual week-long pre-season training camp at the impressive facilities of Carton House. They’ll face Irish second-division side Shelbourne in the first summer friendly on Saturday with a thin-on-the-ground squad bulked out by youth teamers.

Webster has travelled, in order to get to know his new team-mates, with Paul Digby – the recent Barnsley loanee who has been signed permanently – the only other ‘new’ addition.

Then comes games at Barnet (next Wednesday), Colchester United (Tuesday, July 20), Cambridge United (Saturday, July 23), Charlton (Tuesday, July 26), pre-season concluding with a home match against Belgian side Royal Union Saint-Gilloise (Saturday, July 30) before the Championship opener against Barnsley, at Portman Road, on Saturday, August 6.

“Being injured has sort of helped me to get to know the area really,” said Webster. “It’s probably been a bit of a blessing.

“The lads have been class and have welcomed me with open arms. That’s what you need when you go to a new club and you don’t know anyone.

“I’m still quite young and it’s all new to me, but it’s been good.”

He added: “I spoke to the manager before I signed about his plans. We haven’t got the biggest squad here, so hopefully I can do well when I come back in and be in the team.

“I’m just looking to get a place to live sorted. Hopefully I will have that done by the time I get back from Ireland. Then I’m really looking forward to getting settled and cracking on.”