Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy believes a crop of promising young players can add some much-needed ‘magic dust’ to his team this season.

The Blues boss has had to squeeze the very best out of a low-budget squad during his three-and-a-half years in charge, with hard work, team spirit and organisation the driving force behind Championship finishes of ninth, sixth and seventh.

In order to push on to the next level though, it was painfully evident during the wholly uninspiring second half of last season that more pace, creativity and flair was required on top of the workmanlike foundations.

And having revealed that he is once again looking at free transfers and loans, McCarthy hopes that those qualities can be provided by homegrown talent.

Silky midfielder Teddy Bishop, 19, enjoyed an exciting breakthrough campaign in 2014/15 and is finally fit again after injuries wiped out his entire follow-up season.

England Under-17 international Andre Dozzell has long been talked about at Playford Road and there are high hopes for the technically-gifted midfielder this season too.

Then there is the attack-minded full-backs of Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock, both of whom gave the team an added dimension when they featured in 15/16.

“Dozza is not going to come in and play a full season – we can forget that,” said McCarthy.

“I look at them all running around in training and they are all race horses, whereas Dozza looks like a cult because he’s skinnier than the rest.

“But he’s a real talented player and if we can get him in the squad and Bish in the squad then that adds a little bit of magic dust to the place.

“And I’ve said to Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock ‘don’t be coming back as two daft young lads around the place’, come back as first team squad members looking to get in the team. I think we’ve got two, good young full-backs challenging now.”

Highlighting young talent such as Monty Patterson, James Blanchfield and Shane McLoughlin as the next youngsters who could potentially break into the first team set-up, McCarthy was asked what the future was for Kundai Benyu.

The 18-year-old midfielder was on the first team bench for an East Anglian derby back in March 2015, but he’s dropped down the pecking order and featured for Tottenham recently in the NextGen Series, Amsterdam.

“That’s up to him,” said the Blues boss. “It’s about his attitude and his approach to being here. He’s got ability.”