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Ipswich Boss Mick McCarthy Admits Tractor Boys Have No Chance of Signing On-Loan Leicester Star

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​Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy has admitted that his side have no chance of signing Tom Lawrence from Leicester City on a permanent basis.

The 23-year-old forward has scored 11 goals for the Championship side this season, having joined them on a loan deal from the reigning Premier League champions last summer.

IPSWICH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Tom Lawrence of Ipswich Town celebrates with team mates after scoring his sides first goal during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Ipswich Town and Lincoln City at Portman Road on January 7, 2017 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

IPSWICH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Tom Lawrence of Ipswich Town celebrates with team mates after scoring his sides first goal during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Ipswich Town and Lincoln City at Portman Road on January 7, 2017 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

While McCarthy would love to keep the Welshman under his wing, he is resigned to the fact that Lawrence will want to be playing in the top flight.

"I think Tom will have his heart set on the Premier League and I think he'll get that," he said to  ​BBC Suffolk Radio.

"If Leicester are going to sell him, there'd be a lot of takers." 

"Tom has been brilliant and we've all loved him, everybody's really appreciated what he's done, but I think he has his heart set on Premier League football and why wouldn't he?"

Ipswich ensured that they will still be playing Championship football by beating Newcastle 3-1 on Monday, and McCarthy is expecting a host of changes next season.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Mick McCarthy, manager of Ipswich Town looks on before the Sky Bet Championship match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Ipswich Town at Amex Stadium on February 14, 2017 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Mick McCarthy, manager of Ipswich Town looks on before the Sky Bet Championship match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Ipswich Town at Amex Stadium on February 14, 2017 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

"It's been tentative before being completely safe," he added. "I'll sit down and talk to (owner) Marcus (Evans) now about what we want to do and hopefully we can come up with something.

"But there's a real opportunity to freshen it up because there are a lot of players out of contract and we've quite a few players on loan.

"Do they want to stay? Do we want them? Can we have them? Can we sign them? There's all those things. We'll be losing a few players."

Kavan Flavius is a regular contributor to theOfficial Chelsea Guest Fan Blog, find him on Twitter @KavanFlavius.


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