Jim may cash in on trio in January

IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton today confirmed that he would listen to any offers for central defender Alex Bruce when the transfer window opens next month.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town manager Jim Magilton today confirmed that he would listen to any offers for central defender Alex Bruce when the transfer window opens next month.

Bruce has been man of the match in recent games and is expected to be the defensive mainstay along with Gareth McAuley in Sunday's Coca-Cola Championship East Anglian Derby at Carrow Road against Norwich City (kick off 1.15pm).

And Magilton will also take seriously any enquires for Richard Naylor and Tommy Miller who are among the other 12 Town players whose contracts also come to an end next summer.

“Everybody knows my views on Alex and that he has nothing to prove to me or to the club,” said Magilton.

“But I don't expect the policy to change and we will be looking at the situations in the New Year. In my last three seasons at Portman Road I did not sign a one-year contract until April.

“If we do get any interest in Alex then we will think about it next month, the same as we would for any other player that we get enquiries about.

“The person we want to bring in next month is someone who would go straight into the first team and become a regular, which would allow improving young defenders like Pim Balkestein to go out on loan.”

Magilton says that his job will be easy in the cauldron that will be Carrow Road on Sunday for the televised match.

He explained: “The occasion will motivate the players and my job will be easy. I will just have to ensure that they are focused and the team that strings the most passes together and shows more composure in the hurly burly of the derby is the team that will be the most likely to win.”

Owen Garvan and Jon Walters did some light training yesterday and they will be assessed before Magilton names his squad with the Blues' boss saying: “Owen was very ill earlier this week with a virus so we will be watching him closely while Jon is being treated with kid gloves as we want to ensure he recovers fully from his thigh problem and no chances will be taken.

“But they will both be in contention and so will Danny Haynes, who took a knock in the friendly at Tottenham on Wednesday but should be ok.”

Magilton, who is still feeling under the weather himself, said that no other players had been affected by the virus.

He confirmed that Ivan Campo will be in the party for the trip to Norfolk for a game where victory could well put Town into the top six and would also send Norwich closer to the bottom three.