HE might have spent the summer tightening the purse strings.

But Paul Jewell believes Marcus Evans remains as committed to Ipswich as ever – despite sanctioning just four new signings for a total of �300,000 and including one season-long loanee.

The Blues boss is running out of time before Saturday’s season-opener to add any of the three new recruits he feels his side needs to be competitive in the Championship this year.

But Jewell said: “I understand the situation. We lost David Norris to Portsmouth 18 months ago because they offered him better wages.

“Now when you look at Portsmouth, and Glasgow Rangers, it proves it is not a bottomless pit. We would all like money to spend but I am big enough to know at the moment there is not a huge amount of money to throw at it.

“The owner is as committed as ever but sometimes you have to give youth an opportunity. We have to start getting in players that are going to be here for the next three or four years rather than just one year who may be past their best.

“I am happy to go along with a building a squad rather than, like last year, just having players who have played at the level above. We now have youngsters who are hungry to play at that level above.”

Jewell appears to have run out of time to add to his squad before Saturday’s Championship-opener at home to Blackburn.

Scott Loach, Luke Chambers and Spurs loanee Massimo Luongo should all make their debuts while Elliott Hewitt, who was injured at the time of becoming Town’s first signing of the summer, is closing in on a return.

Jewell denied that his hands have been tied by Evans’ new prudent policy in the transfer market, though the Blues boss will not give up until he gets the trio of new faces he knows is needed.

He said: “We have offered more money at times but when you go that little bit more, selling clubs then want even more.

“Somewhere along the line, you have to say that’s all we are going to offer.

“Teams like Blackburn, who have come down from the Premier League, have a huge advantage because of the parachute money.”

And of his own currently limited numbers, Jewell added: “Having a huge squad can have its own problems.

“But there is a difference between a small squad and one that is three senior players short of being a good team.”