Ipswich Town have completed the loan signing of Australian left-back Callum Elder from Leicester City.
The 23-year-old moves to Portman Road on a temporary deal until the end of the season, in a move which points towards a Portman Road exit for Danish international Jonas Knudsen.
Knudsen, who joined Ipswich for £300,000 in the summer of 2015, has indicated he is keen to move on, with boss Paul Lambert unsure whether that will be during the January transfer window or when his contract expires in the summer.
Knudsen has been dropped to the bench for the Blues defeats to both Middlesbrough and Millwall, with homegrown youngster Myles Kenlock taking his place.
Elder will now be competing for the starting left-back slot and could make his debut in the FA Cup at Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
“I’m delighted we have been able to get Callum in early,” Blues boss Paul Lambert said. “He gives us more competition on the left side.
“He is a very good player. He’s been training with top players at Leicester and he has handled that well. He’s got a really good left foot and he wanted to be here and that’s vital for me. I need players who want to come here and play for this club.”
Elder said: “Results for the first half of the season haven’t been great but Ipswich is still a massive club.
“I’ve seen in the past few days that there are talented lads in this squad and I’m delighted to be a part of that now.
“We’re all going to be pulling in the same direction and hopefully come May we’ll have achieved our goal.
“Winning League One with Wigan last season was great but this is a different challenge and it’s one I can’t wait to grab with both hands.”
Having moved over from his native Sydney at the age of 16, Elder came through the youth ranks at Leicester but is yet to make a senior appearance for the Foxes.
He’s had temporary spells at Mansfield (League Two), Peterborough (League One), Brentford (Championship) and Barnsley (Championship), then spent last season on loan at Wigan where he made 33 appearances for the League One champions.
Championship clubs can sign as many loan players as they like, but may only name five of them in a matchday squad.
Elder’s arrival will take the number of Town loan players to four. Matthew Pennington and Trevoh Chalobah are regular starters, with Janoi Donacien struggling to win a place in Lambert’s matchday 18.
Town are committed to signing Donacien for £750k from Accrington Stanley once his immigration status is rubber stamped.
Lambert has already sent Jordan Graham back to parent club Wolves, the winger subsequently signing for League One club Oxford United on loan, while Tayo Edun has returned to Fulham.
Jon Walters was on loan from Burnley earlier in the season but his loan deal is up following an Achilles problem.
In terms of the Ipswich youngsters currently out on loan, Tristan Nydam has returned from a disappointing loan spell at St Johnstone but Luke Woolfenden, Ben Morris and Josh Emmanuel remain at Swindon Town, Forest Green Rovers and Shrewsbury Town respectively.
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