IPSWICH Town are today no closer to bringing in a loan signing but have been cheered by news from the treatment room.Blues boss Jim Magilton is still searching for fresh blood with Scott Sinclair and Dejan Stefanovic among the serious contenders.

Derek Davis

IPSWICH Town are today no closer to bringing in a loan signing but have been cheered by news from the treatment room.

Blues boss Jim Magilton is still searching for fresh blood with Scott Sinclair and Dejan Stefanovic among the serious contenders.

Town did try with a cheeky bid to bring back Darren but have been rebuffed by Spurs, but it at least shows the lengths Magilton is going to in his determined effort to win promotion, despite the injury setbacks.

Although it was initially feared that Shefki Kuqi and David Norris would be out for the rest of the season Town physio Matt Byard is cautiously optimistic that both might still figure.

Scans have shown there is some hope with Kuqi's hamstring problem a strain rather than a tear and even though he has been ruled out of the game at second-from-bottom Scunthorpe on Saturday he might still play again, according to the club.

Kuqi will stay at Portman Road for treatment as Town will still have to pay his wages for the remainder of the season after agreeing the loan deal with Crystal Palace until the end of the season.

It has been confirmed that Norris has a heel injury, which apparently is quite a common problem and the club insist he may be fit for the trip to Glanford Park, although initial worries were he won't be fit until May.

Byard said: “Shefki's problem is a hamstring strain and he will definitely miss the Scunthorpe game.

“We will monitor his progress through the week and have more of an idea on when he may be back either at the end of this week or the start of next week depending on his rehabilitation goes.

“We have not ruled David out of Saturday's game completely yet, although he is obvioulsy doubtful.””

Jon Walters has his operation on a torn cartilage tomorrow (WEDS) and if his recovery goes well he could be back for the latter stages of the play-off battle.

Richard Naylor remains a concern with his neck injury and will continue to be monitored.