IPSWICH TOWN: Blues boss Roy Keane today confirmed that he has money to spend.

He is in the market to bring in a couple more players or so and he revealed that he was talking to Cardiff manager Dave Jones again yesterday.

Keane would not identify the name of the player, but it is believed to be a midfielder that he is after - and he still has his sights set on bringing in Bluebirds’ star striker Michael Chopra.

“There is money available,” said Keane. “But only for the right person.

“I’m prepared to get stick for the next couple of weeks or so for not bringing anybody else in as long as I get the right ones in at the end.

“This means we might be a bit short against Middlesbrough, but we still have enough to get the season off to a good start.

“I thought I might have lined up two or three players apart from the three we have signed, but it not work out; with one player turning us down.

“We are getting there and it would be a boost to bring in more players, particularly a striker, which gets people excited.

“You can have good goalkeepers and a good left back but it is goals that win you football games.”

On this front, Keane is not taking front man Pablo Counago to the north east for today’s Championship game against Middlesbrough (kick-off 3pm).

Jon Stead and Lee Martin are set to add experience to the bench, with Keane adding: “I pick my squads and my teams on what I see in training and during games.

“I like to see passion, heart and plenty of hunger, and Pablo will not be going to Middlesbrough with us.”

Colin Healy could be involved after recovering from a hamstring problem and playing 45 minutes against Tottenham on Tuesday.

“We’re better preparred than 12 months ago,” Keane explained.

“But anything less than our best against Middlesbrough will see us struggling to get a result.

“We should have beaten Coventry in our opening fixure last season but didn’t and then went a couple of months before we enjoyed a victory.

“We have a goals issue and have failed to find the net enough times last season and in this pre-season.”

And whether it was tongue in cheek or not he added: “We are unbelievable close to getting a striker.”