Ipswich boss Paul Jewell bides time in 'quiet' transfer market

Ipswich boss Paul Jewell is having to bide his time in the search to add more players to his squad following the arrival of defender Luke Chambers.

Jewell wants to sign three or four more players to boost the first-team squad.

"Seeing how quiet the market's been over the summer would indicate there's a premium of good players around," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We're not even getting to the stage of people turning us down because there really is a lack of players."

Despite having only signed Chambers and youngster Elliott Hewitt, who will be unable to play until September because of problems with his hips, Jewell is not panicking.

"My experience tells me that (although) you'd like your players in on the first day of pre-season, because of the transfer window on 31 August, there tends to be a mad rush," the former Bradford, Wigan, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby boss said.

"We've got targets and we're pursuing them and luckily they haven't been reported in the press."

One of Jewell's priorities in the transfer market is a goalkeeper to provide competition for Arran Lee-Barrett.

"I thought I had a goalkeeper but we lost out on that one. We have got a couple of other targets and we just have to be patient," he said.

Meanwhile, Jewell is concerned about the physical demands being placed on 22-year-old defender Tommy Smith, who is in the New Zealand squad for London 2012.

"Tommy's hardly had a break. He was supposed to go to Japan and Korea (with New Zealand) this week but he's had a slight hamstring strain and we've had to pull him out," he added.

"From my point of view, I'd prefer him not to be involved in the Olympics but obviously it's an opportunity for Tommy - I can fully understand he wants to take it."