LUKE Chambers has urged Ipswich Town fans to be patient in the search for fellow new arrivals.

The former Nottingham Forest centre-back is Paul Jewell’s second signing of the summer, but the free agent doesn’t expect to be joined by too many more new faces for a couple of weeks.

With the new season five weeks away, supporters will be hoping to see more new faces following Chambers and Elliott Hewitt as Town’s squad takes shape.

But Chambers said: “When you look at the transfer fees people are demanding and wages on top, it is difficult to get players in.

“There has not been a lot of movement in the Championship and I think that will continue for the next couple of weeks at least.

“We are not living in times we were four or five years ago. It is difficult out there and football should not be immune to that.

“The drop in money at this level is not just something that a chief executive talks about – it is a fact. It has slowly been coming down the last few years.”

That belief was backed up by chief executive Simon Clegg who maintained Town would not break the bank to land any player.

He said: “Fans want these things done instantaneous and capitulate to whatever figures are demanded but we have to operate within our budget.

“My number one priority is to safeguard the financial situation of this club. I am not going to lead us down the road of administration again.

“We also need to recognise what is happening in the wider Championship – wages and transfer fees are coming down.

“But I am excited about the season ahead. We still have further work to do and there is work in progress. We need to build but we have the basis of a really strong team.”