Ipswich Town: Kieran McKenna speaks on club’s goalkeeping options after arrival of Alex Palmer from West Brom

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has spoken on the club’s goalkeeping options following the arrival of Alex Palmer from West Bromwich Albion.

The 28-year-old signed a three-and-a-half year deal to become the Blues’ fourth and final signing of the January transfer window on deadline day in a £2 million move.

Palmer left the Baggies for Portman Road following Aro Muric’s poor form in goal and Christian Walton’s groin strain, which he suffered against league leaders Liverpool two weeks ago.

The English shotstopper could make his debut against Frank Lampard’s Coventry City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday (3pm).

Blues boss McKenna said: “We’ll make the decision on tomorrow for what is right for the team and the group and we’ll do that for every game.

“With Christian out, the department was shorter with just Aro and Cieran Slicker who is very talented but hasn’t played as many senior games so we felt it was important to add to that department either way.

“Alex coming in gives us another experienced goalkeeper and strengthens the unit and gives us the option to make the decisions we think will be best for the team for each game.”

On the signing of Palmer, McKenna said: “We’re pleased to bring him in, we’ve known about him for a while as everybody has.

“He’s a really good, experienced goalkeeper in the Championship over the last few years and of course played against us last year so he’s somebody that has been on the radar for a while.

“We felt it was the right time and the right stage to bring in another goalkeeper to the unit and he certainly strengthens that department.

“He’s fitted into the group really well, it helps that he knows some of the players already, especially Conor (Townsend) and Dara O’Shea who he was in the youth team with (at West Brom). He’s fitted in straight away.”

McKenna added: “He’s certainly a good communicator and that’s one of his strengths and something he can bring to the team. We want all the players to bring all their main strengths and utilise it in the team.

“We’ve got different qualities in the positions, even in our goalkeeper department. Christian’s got different qualities to Aro and different specialisms. He’s got different qualities and specialisms to Alex and to Cieran Slicker.

“We just expect each of them to bring the very best of themselves and bring those qualities to the team. I’m sure Alex is going to look to do that when he gets his opportunities.”

Despite the signing of Palmer, McKenna says summer signing Muric has taken the decision well.

The Kosovo international returned to the starting line-up in the 2-1 loss against Southampton following Walton’s injury.

McKenna said: “Aro has been good in training. Of course we spoke to all the goalkeepers.

“They all realised even just from a numbers perspective with Christian being out for the next eight weeks or so and with the importance of the next 14 games to the football club in the next four months, we couldn’t take any chances in terms of strength of the goalkeeper options available.

“All the goalkeepers were aware of the reasons why we felt like we needed to strengthen the department. We wanted to strengthen it as strongly as possible in terms of a goalkeeper who is ready to come in and compete to play minutes and compete for the shirt.

“All the goalkeepers fully understand that situation and all know at this level we need to be as strong as possible in each position with as much competition as possible. They’re all ready to take on that competition.”

Coventry currently sit 11th in the Championship and are looking to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup in consecutive campaigns for the first time since 2008/09.

The Sky Blues lost to Manchester United on penalties in the semi-final last year.

Town are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for just the second time in the 21st century, previously doing so in 2006-07.

McKenna’s men were knocked out at this stage of the competition last season by non-league Maidstone United.