Ipswich Town are more likely to allow players to move on than bring new ones in, according to manager Paul Lambert.
The Blues used 23 players during their pre-season friendly loss at Tottenham on Saturday, with the likes of James Norwood, Oli Hawkins, James Wilson, Emyr Huws and Idris El Mizouni not involved.
Under the terms of the new League One salary cap, Town must also name a squad including no more than 22 players who turned 21 prior to the turn of the year, with the Ipswich currently carrying 23.
Lambert has added Hawkins, David Cornell and Stephen Ward to his ranks so far this summer and is unsure whether any further arrivals would be possible, instead admitting players will need to move on.
“We’ll have to bring it down a bit and maybe some of the younger ones could go on loan,” he said.
“We have to get a squad that’s manageable.”
“I’ve told the lads before that they have to give us a selection problem. There are positives in terms of how we’re playing so they’re well aware of that.
“But we have to get a squad that’s manageable so we’ll need to bring it down a bit. Maybe some of the younger players could go on loan.”
MORE: ‘James needs to show me what he can do’ - Lambert on Norwood’s Town future as Swindon ‘show loan interest’On the possibility of further additions, he said: “With the pandemic going on I don’t think we really know.
“We can only do what we can do. It’s not an ideal situation, the salary cap’s not an ideal situation, and there’s a lot of things still to go and see how it turns out. I’m happy with how we are at the minute.”
Lambert is pleased with is business so far, though: “I think it was important because we needed fresh faces after losing five guys (Will Keane, Jordan Roberts, Danny Rowe, Luke Garbutt, Will Norris,” the Town boss said.
“They have come in and been great. Stephen Ward is a top pro and a top guy and has been brilliant about the place.
“Oli’s a good guy, as honest as the day’s long, and Cornell’s the same. We needed a few players.”
IPSWICH TOWN SENIOR SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Holy, Cornell, Wright, Przybek*
Defenders: Chambers, Ward, Woolfenden, Wilson, Donacien, Nsiala, Vincent-Young, Kenlock, Ndaba*
Midfielders: Skuse, Nolan, Bishop, Judge, Huws, Downes*, Nydam* Dozzell*, El Mizouni*, McGavin*
Wingers: Edwards, Lankester*, Dobra*,
Strikers: Jackson, Norwood, Hawkins, Sears, Drinan, Folami*
*players Under 21 for salary cap purproses
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