Ipswich Town will announce the loan signing of Birmingham City midfielder Stephen Gleeson tomorrow morning.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy announced at today’s lunchtime press conference he had been ‘trying to organise a couple of things’ and that he was hopeful of having someone signed in time for Saturday’s trip to Bolton Wanderers.

It’s understood that another loan deal – understood to be for a centre-back – is also close. Deals must be completed before 12pm tomorrow (Friday) if the players are to be eligible to face the Trotters.

Dublin-born Gleeson, 29, failed to make the breakthrough at Wolves under Mick McCarthy’s management, making just three sub appearances in the league between 2006 and 2009.

He went on to be a regular for MK Dons during a five-year spell in League One and, for three seasons, was then a regular for Birmingham in the Championship. The four-cap Republic of Ireland international has made just three league starts for the relegation-fighting Midlands outfit this season though, his last appearance coming back on December 9.

Cole Skuse and Everton loanee Callum Connolly are Town’s first-choice central midfield duo at present, with Luke Hyam having only recently returned from a long-term injury and Adam McDonnell recalled from a loan spell at National League side Aldershot.

Emyr Huws (knee), Teddy Bishop (hamstring) and Andre Dozzell (knee) have all been ruled out for the season. Tom Adeyemi (hamstring) has been sidelined for the majority of the campaign, but is set to return to action in the Under-23s next week.

Tristan Nydam is fit-again after a hip/groin problem, while fellow homegrown teenager Flynn Downes should be available again soon.

Two new arrivals means Tommy Smith and Kevin Bru are likely to exit Portman Road. Smith is set to join his former New Zealand boss Anthony Hudson at MLS side Colorado Rapid, while the transfer-listed Bru is interesting clubs in France and Poland.