With the transfer window now wide open and ITFC fans expecting lots of activity, Ipswich fan and sports writer Edmund Crosthwaite offers his opinion on what the club needs to do to strengthen the side.

Mick McCarthy has shown what he can do with the players he inherited at Ipswich Town – now it’s time for him to show what he can do with the men he brings in.

This transfer window is crucial for Mick’s team if they’re looking to salvage their season and aim for a high mid-table or top ten finish.

With their run under Mick yielding a rough average of two points a game (widely considered automatic promotion form), hopefully this won’t be considered too ambitious.

With Elliot Hewitt now making his bow in the first team the right side of defence isn’t looking too bad, but as always the centre back position could do with an extra face seeing as Orr and Higginbotham are going or gone already.

Ronald Zubar has been mentioned previously and would probably be a reasonable shout, though someone who can play left back as a secondary position would provide a bit of cover for Aaron Cresswell.

A persistent danger with Town is a surplus of midfielders although at the moment they don’t look too heavy in that area. A couple of quality players, one in the centre and possibly a right winger in the same vein as Lee Martin, might help bolster the ranks.

Emmanuel Frimpong has not been shy in declaring his admiration of McCarthy after the two worked together at Wolves so perhaps there would be a chance of him joining (preferably permanently rather than on loan).

Another move for George Boyd, courted by Town in the summer, cold be a good shout, although he was a Paul Jewell target and might not fit into the new plans of McCarthy.

Ross McCormack could also be another potentially shrewd acquisition and has been chased by Town before. On the fringes of late at Leeds he can play on the wing or up front and may fit well into a Mick McCarthy set-up.

Tom Pope of Port Vale could be worth a look as another lower league signing. The jump to Championship football might be a big one but he’s been banging them in down in League Two and might be worth the risk.

He’d have to perform straight away though; at 27 he isn’t one for the future.

The goalkeeper’s position for me isn’t too much of an issue. Stephen Henderson has done well but I think with an improved back line Scott Loach will do well and Arran Lee-Barrett provides ample cover for short periods.

Perhaps a young goalkeeper from a top Premier League club might be good to bring in and nurture for the future though.

What do you think? Leave your comments below!