Kieran McKenna believes young central defender Elkan Baggott could benefit from a loan away from Portman Road next season.

The teenager is highly regarded by the Blues and, having trained with the senior side for much of the campaign, made two league starts in the final weeks of the season.

Baggott, a full international with Indonesia, has previously spent time on loan with King’s Lynn in the National League, but could well be set for a move to League Two ahead of next season, following in the footsteps of both Luke Woolfenden (Swindon) and Corrie Ndaba (Salford).

“That’s a good possibility and something that we’ve spoken about with Elkan personally,” McKenna said, discussing the opportunity for Baggott to head out on loan.

“That’s one good option for a young centre-half. Picking up a full season of regular starts can be a big step in your development, as we’ve seen with many centre-halves over the years.

“Luke Woolfenden is an easy-to-make an example in terms of his experience of going out to Swindon and getting a full season.

“That’s definitely one really good possibility for Elkan, but it needs to be the right club, the right environment and all the right aspects need to fit together for it to be the right experience for Elkan, and if we find that then the possibility of him getting a year’s experience somewhere is definitely one we’re looking at.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Elkan Baggott made his first league start at RotherhamElkan Baggott made his first league start at Rotherham (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

Baggott has featured at the heart of the back three while playing for Town’s Under 23s, but was deployed on the left side for the games at Rotherham and at home to Charlton, in the absence of Cameron Burgess.

He faces a fight for senior minutes next season, though, with Burgess, Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson all part of McKenna’s squad and Ndaba returning from loan.