Steven Taylor won’t be offered a new deal at Ipswich Town

Former Newcastle United centre-back Taylor, 31, joined the Blues on a short-term deal in January but hamstring injuries restricted him to just three outings in a blue shirt.

Manager Mick McCarthy enthused about the experienced player’s leadership qualities and offered him the chance to return to Playford Road in pre-season to prove his fitness.

Taylor was part of the week-long training camp in Ireland and played in the recent friendlies against Drogheda and Southend, but the recent arrival of Dominic Iorfa on a season-long loan from Wolves means there is no longer a place available for him.

“We have brought in Jordan Spence and Dominic Iorfa in recent weeks to add to what we already have at the back,” McCarthy told the club website.

“Both Jordan and Dominic are very versatile players that can cover full-back and centre-back positions and we have good competition for places at the back now so we won’t be doing anything with Tayls.

“He’s a great pro and he will do a good job for someone. We wish him well.”

Town have seven senior defenders in the form of Iorfa, Spence, Adam Webster, Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith, Jonas Knudsen and Myles Kenlock.

Stu says...

At the end of last season, Town were carrying a squad of 31 senior players, but that has now been reduced to 21.

Altogether, 14 players have been released, loaned out or seen their loans expire this summer, with four new faces arriving if you don’t count the returns of Emyr Huws and Spence.

McCarthy has freed up funds and looked to add quality rather than quantity. A smaller group may also help to rekindle the close-knit, underdog spirit which swept the team to a sixth-place finish in 2014/15.

The final piece of the jigsaw remains a striker, ideally a proven goalscorer, to compete with Joe Garner, David McGoldrick and Freddie Sears.

Town’s summer business

IN: Jordan Spence (free agent), Dominic Iorfa (Wolves, loan), Emyr Huws (Cardiff, £1m), Tom Adeyemi (Cardiff, free), Bersant Celina (Man City, loan), Joe Garner (Rangers, £1m).

OUT: Christophe Berra (Hearts, free), Tom Lawrence (loan expired), Jonathan Douglas (released), Brett Pitman (Portsmouth, free), Josh Emmanuel (Rotherham, loan), Toumani Diagouraga (loan expired), Kieffer Moore (Rotherham, loan), Leon Best (released), Paul Digby (released), Steven Taylor (released), Dominic Samuel (loan expired), Jonny Williams (loan expired), Giles Coke (released), Kundai Benyu (Celtic, compensation).