Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy is ready to let teen goal machine Jack Marriott out on loan.

The 19-year-old is already drawing comparisons with former academy product Jordan Rhodes thanks to his prolific goalscoring record throughout the age groups.

He made his first-team debut with a cameo appearance in the season-finale at Burnley last season, signed his first professional deal in the summer and has been an unused substitute in recent home games against Burnley and Brighton.

Blues fans are itching to see whether there is a new homegrown hero in the making, but McCarthy says they may have to wait.

When Paul Taylor returns from his loan spell at Peterborough at the start of next month, Marriott – who will once again drop to fifth in the forward pecking order – will be allowed to leave on a temporary basis.

“He’ll be available if somebody wants him on loan,” said the Blues boss. “If somebody has seen him and fancies him in the lower leagues there’s potential for that.

“He says to me he understands (why he’s not playing), though I guess he could be at home saying he doesn’t.

“I spoke to him the other day and he’s absolutely thrilled to be in the position he’s in. He’s training with the first team and travelling with the first team. Of course he wants to play, but he’s delighted with the progress he’s making.

“He’s getting closer to playing at the moment because he’s got that happy knack of scoring. It was a good finish (for the Under-21 side) this week and he had another good couple of chances where he gambled to get on the end of things.”

With David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy the first choice pairing up front, Frank Nouble has been largely restricted to late sub appearances this season.

“It’s never easy coming on,” said McCarthy. “I think he’s done better whenever he’s started. You only have to look back at the games against Peterborough and Crystal Palace last season.

“Perhaps I put him on sometimes just to shore things up and stop the opposition playing out the back. We haven’t created that many chances when he’s come on so I think it would be a disservice to say anything has been just down to him.”

On Taylor – who has started six games for League One side Peterborough and is due back on November 1 – McCarthy said: “He looks much fitter, sharper and looks like he’s got that pace back to run beyond people. He’s now able to chase back after 70 minutes, which he wasn’t able to do before.”