Accrington Stanley assistant boss Jimmy Bell says his club want bring Gary Roberts back to Lancashire in when the transfer window opens. Stanley would be unable to afford to buy the 23-year-old, who is contracted to the Blues until 2010.

Bell says Town have made the former Liverpool trainee available: "I keep in touch with Gary anyway, and we are monitoring the situation.

"Ipswich have more or less said they are prepared to listen to offers. We wouldn't be able to afford him, but the next option would be a loan.

"He is the kind of player that we would like. We're looking for a left-sided player and he fits that bill.

"Gary's played in Ipswich's last three away games, but their away form's very poor and their home form is very good, so he has found himself a bit trapped. Plus they play a different system that just hasn't really suited him."

Bell says his club could face opposition from other clubs also keen on a loan deal: “If it was down to Gary, I think he would jump at the chance to come back.

"But once agents and other clubs get involved, it's not easy to compete with the bigger teams."

Roberts, who joined Town on loan from Stanley in October 2006 before signing permanently in the following January for around £250,000, has fallen out of favour after a poor start to 2007/08 and wasn't even named in the 19-man squad for Saturday's game against Scunthorpe.

Boss Jim Magilton looks certain to bring in another left-sided midfielder in January, but may have trouble in moving Roberts on permanently with his lucrative Town terms not due to expire until 2010.

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