FIVE Championship clubs are chasing former Ipswich Town loanee Richie Wellens, but we understand Ipswich Town are not one of them.

Wellens made seven appearances for Town earlier in the season but suffered an injury setback on his return to parent club, Leicester City, in mid-November.

Town are the lowest goalscorers in the Championship, with just 28 netted scored this season, and Wellens’ creativity would fit the bill at Portman Road.

Despite having another year to run on his deal with the Foxes, the former Doncaster Rovers schemer is available for a temporary switch away from Leicester until the end of the current campaign, with his chances limited at the King Power Stadium.

A source close to Wellens revealed the midfielder was weighing up his options and is likely to make a decision in the next couple of days, but revealed that Town had not been in contact with the player.

Speaking to the EADT and Ipswich Star shortly after the end of his first loan spell, Wellens said: “I had a conversation with Mick (McCarthy) before his first game. He said he wanted to extend my stay, but I wasn’t that keen at that stage if I’m being honest.

“A lot has changed over the last three games though, everyone has responded really well to Mick, the team looks a lot harder to beat and two wins from three has got the club going in the right direction.

“There is a feeling that everything is starting to come together a little bit. And if I’m not going to be in the team at Leicester then I wouldn’t think twice about coming back to Ipswich.”

Meanwhile, Elliott Hewitt has been called up to the Wales under-21s squad for a friendly against Iceland next month.