JIM Magilton, Ipswich Town manager, today said he is still keeping tabs on Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Johnson.The Blues are still hoping to get the 21-year-old left-sided player on loan but the Premier League club rare reluctant to let him go as they are working on a small squad.

Elvin King

JIM Magilton, Ipswich Town manager, today said he is still keeping tabs on Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Johnson.

The Blues are still hoping to get the 21-year-old left-sided player on loan but the Premier League club rare reluctant to let him go as they are working on a small squad.

It is believed that Magilton would have preferred Johnson ahead of most other players to improve his squad and he did say: “We have been trying to exploit a situation where Adam would become frustrated at Middlesbrough.

“He is their player and we obviously did not meddle with that at all but we had an agent working on the case for us.

“He is in a difficult position with Middlesbrough not either being in the team nor being a long way away from the team and I think that he needs to be playing.

“He is a versatile performer and is capable of being an old fashioned wing man.”

And Magilton revealed that Ipswich went in hard for Johnson 12 months ago. “We were talking to Middlesbrough about him coming on loan last season when Watford stepped in, and he did very well while on loan for them.

“I believe he is going to be a super player and we will be keeping tabs on the situation.”

Left back Ben Thatcher has a dead leg, but it is not serious and he is expected to be available for tomorrow's game against Reading. While Magilton welcomed the addition to the squad of lanky striker Jon Stead.

Magilton said: “He had a meteoric rise as a youngster and at the age of 25 is now very experienced.

“He is mobile and fits into our team well and we feel he will be a good asset to us.”

Magilton is expecting a tough match tomorrow against Reading and he had praise for the Royals' boss Steve Coppell. Magilton said: “Steve is a manger I admire not just for what he has achieved on the field but also for the great deal of sense he talks off it.

“They will be one of the best sides in the division and it will be a real test for us to see how effective our work has been over the last two weeks when we meet them tomorrow.”