Ipswich Town are understood to be interested in signing former Derby County defender Richard Keogh.

The 33-year-old was controversially sacked by the Rams last October following his involvement, as a passenger, in a car crash which saw team-mates Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett both convicted of drink driving. The latter two were kept on by the East Midlands club and Keogh remains in a legal dispute regarding his dismissal.

Keogh sustained a knee injury in that collision which, it was estimated, would keep him out for around a year – November 2020 having been mentioned as a comeback target.

Speaking at the time of the centre-back’s sacking, Keogh’s agent Cos Toffis said: “To be kicked to the kerb is a really difficult pill to swallow. He’s bled in that shirt, fought in that shirt and cried in that shirt. He’ll one million per cent play again. He’s the most determined character I’ve come across in my life.”

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Keogh is a 26-cap Republic of Ireland international who captained the Rams for seven years. Town’s current captain, Luke Chambers, will soon turn 35 and is now in the final year of his contract at Portman Road.

Blues boss Paul Lambert currently has four senior centre-backs in the form of captain Chambers, highly-rated youngster Luke Woolfenden, plus James Wilson and Toto Nsiala.

Nsiala spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers and it’s understood that Dundee United also enquired about his potentially availability when showing interest in James Norwood recently.

The Tangerines were recently promoted to the Scottish top-flight and have appointed Norwood’s former Tranmere Rovers boss Micky Mellon as manager.