Could the Blues’ interest in Histon duo Nick Freeman and Matty Waters be a sign of things to come?

Town are keen to run the rule over the teenagers but are waiting for bitter rivals Norwich to make a decision on Freeman, before deciding whether or not to take a serious look at the pair.

Seventeen-year-old midfielder Freeman, and striker Waters, 18, have made a big impact for the Stutes in Blue Square Bet North, with the latter having plundered four goals in nine games.

Both were part of the Histon youth squad that reached the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup, before losing 4-0 to Premier League giants, Liverpool.

With the new Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules coming into play from the start of the 2013-14 campaign, which restricts the amount of money a club is allowed to lose in a season, manager Mick McCarthy may be forced to dig deep and unearth a number of gems from the lower leagues on smaller wages.

The Blues manager has already signed Tyrone Mings from Chippenham and, while not from non-league, Manchester United’s Reece Brown could be the next youngster to sign a permanent deal at Portman Road, provided he impresses on loan between now and the end of the season, having signed for the Blues yesterday.

Brown was at League One Coventry earlier in the season but his season-long loan spell at the Ricoh Arena was cut short in January with the defender having fallen down the pecking order.

Fellow youngsters, Frank Nouble, 21, and Elliott Hewitt, 18, the latter signed by Paul Jewell, are also regarded as prospects for the future.

Jewell altered his transfer policy last summer with the former Wigan boss turning his attentions to signing young up-and-coming players, following the failures of a number of high-profile signings including Lee Bowyer, Ivar Ingimarsson and Nathan Ellington.