Swindon Town eye permanent deal for Ipswich's Ronan Murray

Murray has made 13 appearances for parent club Ipswich

Swindon Town have moved to sign Ipswich loan striker Ronan Murray on a permanent deal.

The 20-year-old has scored twice in eight games since joining the Robins in November, but is due to return to Portman Road next week.

"He belongs to us now - he will stay with us," Swindon manager Paolo di Canio told BBC Wiltshire.

"We've offered something and we are waiting for an answer. He's a player I would like to see here."

Chairman Jeremy Wray revealed last week that the club were hoping to keep Murray on loan until the end of the season.

But Di Canio said: "The plan is to buy him because I want to buy him.

"It has to be a fair amount of money as he is a young and talented player. If we can go through with the money we have offered then we would be very happy."

A Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, Murray came through the Ipswich academy but is out of contract at the Championship side at the end of the season.

Speaking on Monday about the possibility of an extension at Swindon, Murray said: "I'd like to stay because it's first-team football.

"It's been brilliant for the last month-and-a-half, I've enjoyed every minute of it.

"At the moment there's not many other clubs in the country that you'd want to be at, with all the headlines. It's a great club so I'd be more than happy to stay."