Frustration for Ndaba as loan move to Ayr falls through

Corrie Ndaba (left) is one of the six young players who lives at Luke Chambers' annex. Photo: Ross Halls (Image: Archant)

The Irish central defender, who is highly rated at Portman Road but is yet to make his senior debut for the club, had been training with the promotion-chasing Scottish Championship side with a view to a loan move. He had also spent time with Championship side Dundee over the last two weeks.

They like what they saw and the loan move was all agreed, only for the paperwork to be rejected due to the fact Ndaba has already spent time on loan at two other clubs this season.

Ndaba spent a month at Hemel Hempsted along with Bailey Clements, before a brief time on loan with Chelmsford, and it now looks likely he will spend the rest of the season playing for the Blues' Under 23s.

Players are able to be registered with three clubs in a single season and play competitive games for two, although non-league loans do not count towards those numbers in the English game. This changes when loans are made across borders, though, with some countries counting non-league loans as part of the quota.

Ndaba defender signed a contract at the end of last season until the end of the 2021/22 season.

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Striker Aaron Drinan has impressed during the early weeks of his loan move to Ayr, while Brett McGavin trained with the Scottish club before ultimately not signing on loan.

Idris El Mizouni joined Cambridge on loan last week and made his first start for the club in their 4-0 loss to Salford, which ultimately led to manager Colin Calderwood leaving the club.

Manager Paul Lambert is keen for his young players to experience senior football, meaning loan moves for the likes of Armando Dobra, McGavin, Barry Cotter and young strike duo Ben Folami and Ben Morris could potentially materialise before tomorrow night's transfer deadline.