Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy says he is happy to go into the new season with a reduced squad size.
The Blues have seen 14 players depart this summer when you take into account sales, loans expiring and others being loaned out.
Just four completely fresh faces have arrived in the form of Joe Garner, Bersant Celina, Dominic Iorfa and Tom Adeyemi, with the senior squad currently containing 21 players.
“We’ll have about 22 to 24 maybe,” said McCarthy, speaking after last night’s 3-1 friendly win at League One side Peterborough United.
“Then we’ll have the likes of Dozza (Andre Dozzell), Flynn Downes and Tristan Nydam (all teenage academy graduates) on top of that.
“I don’t want a massive 30-35 man squad. We had a lot of injuries last year – Bish (Teddy Bishop), Giles Coke, Didzy (David Mcoldrick) – so we had to get other players in.
“I don’t like taking players away from home who have to sit in the stand though. You really want everyone to feel involved.”
Brett Pitman’s recent departure to Portsmouth has left Town with just three senior strikers. Quizzed on his recent interest in Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, the Wolves forward having joined Reading this week, McCarthy said: “I thought we had him coming on loan, but he’s gone there for three million quid or something. “I’m delighted with the business we have done, but we’re still looking.”
With summer signing Garner taking his pre-season goal tally to five in three at London Road – the game split into two halves of 60 minutes – McCarthy added: “Strikers want to score, so I’m sure he’ll be delighted.
“It was a different format, but I think it’s a good idea. Ordinarily I’d have played a team for 60 minutes and another team for 30 minutes, then the team that’s on for 30 minutes always thinks they’re the subs!
“I thought we played particularly well. How it’s only ended up three after that second half is beyond me. I was really pleased. I can’t say anyone left me thinking ‘they won’t be involved again’. ”
McCarthy also revealed that Irish midfielder Adam McDonnell is set for a loan spell away from the club, while Bartosz Bialkowski (stomach bug), Emyr Huws (sore calf) and Adam Webster (ankle) were all left out as precautions.
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