Loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard has again hinted that he would be prepared to take a significant pay cut to move to Portman Road on a permanent basis in the summer. Bullard, 32, has two years remaining on his Hull City contract which is worth £45,000-a-week, 21% of the Tigers’ wage bill.

But speaking to one of Sunday's tabloids, the one-time England call-up reiterated his comments from a fortnight ago when he said that the financial side of football is far from his only concern: “Money isn’t everything to me. I’ve really enjoyed my time on loan at Portman Road and would love a permanent move.”

Town would probably only stretch to paying the former Peterborough, Wigan and Fulham man around 40% of his current earnings at most, while any deal will hinge on the midfielder and Hull being able to settle his current contract. Any fee received by the Tigers is likely to go towards this pay-off.

Bullard has scored four goals in 11 starts since joining the Blues on a half-season loan in January.

Elsewhere, the Blues are again linked with West Brom striker Simon Cox with a £1.5 million summer offer said to be on the cards. Blues boss Paul Jewell has previously targeted signing the 23-year-old on loan with an eye towards a longer term deal.

Photo: Action Images

trueblue1970 added 11:03 - Apr 3 Sign him up !!
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Lamby95 added 11:10 - Apr 3 10k a week, with 5k bonus for appearance and another 5k for every goal. 2.5k for an assist. Would that be feasible?
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Mark added 11:14 - Apr 3 I'd love to sign Bullard, especially for his free kicks, but I am not sure we should break our wage structure due to the financial implications (at a time our attendances are falling!) and the effect on other players in the squad. Perhaps if we could pay a fee that is wrapped up in an amount Hull pay him off as suggested in the article in order to keep his wages down, that could work.

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thechangingman added 11:48 - Apr 3 Yada, yada... Come on people, are we REALLY still this naive? Of course we'd LOVE Jimmy to sign but talk is very, very cheap indeed and the only time his saying that 'money doesn't matter' is when he PROVES it by taking a drop in wages to sign. Until then, it's all hot-air and rhetoric (that by the way does his popularity no harm with folks that believe everything footballers say...) Torres wins my 'honest footballer of the year award', when he admitted that "romance is dead in football..." Us fans, of course, still have it cos we're joined to our teams til death do us part. The players couldn't care less and will only serve their own purposes - which is pretty logical to be fair... Jimmy - do sign, but do stop chatting breeze... ;0)

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solemio added 11:53 - Apr 3 Changingman, is it possible that all footballers are not the same in their views, attitudes and priorities? I have no idea about Mr Bullard, but nor,I suspect, have you. Obviously, only time will tell.
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wark_on_water added 12:09 - Apr 3 thechangingman - while I agree with some of your points, surely we should wait and give him a chance to take that drop in wages... solemio - i agree - time will tell!! It can't be an easy decision to make regardless of whether you're enjoying your football again or not - we all enjoy (and would like to maintain) a certain standard of lifestyle!!
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corshamblue added 12:18 - Apr 3 It seems Ipswich is Good for JB as much as JB is good for Ipswich, hopefully they can find some middle ground to make the move permanent. A quality professional, IMO Nice one Jimmy.
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blueblood66 added 13:42 - Apr 3 Please do the deal Town, a real match winner is not be be sniffed at
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jas0999 added 14:13 - Apr 3 IF we could negotiated a significantly smaller wage then great signing - but wouldn't pay over the odds or break the wage structure. I would also look to sign Simon Cox.
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MAVERICK added 14:35 - Apr 3 Jimmy, your team needs you, football needs you, you won't go wrong with Ipswich Town FC. FFF (Football. Fun. Fact)
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Back_The_Boss added 15:44 - Apr 3 Sign him up, he's a fans favourite and a great team player.
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Vexorg added 16:20 - Apr 3 I do love the way people still talk about "paying over the odds" and "wage structures" as if this club is run as a viable business. Sadly it, like most others, isn't and financially we're at the whim of MEs success in touting tickets for major events. Jimmy might as well hang out for his £45k as Chuck is hoping to do for his £15k.
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MyBlueHeaven added 17:07 - Apr 3 is this the same Jimmy Bullard that didn't sign for Celtic because he wasn't being offered enough money?
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bluelady added 17:40 - Apr 3 My blue heaven maybe a move to Celtic so far from fam and friends just didn't appeal?
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Vedite added 18:20 - Apr 3 Still asking an extra 20k a week does seem a bit excessive just because it's Scotland. It's also probably a lot nearer an airport then Hull is and so maybe even quicker to reach the south of England. That's being assumptive, the 20k is what was widely reported at the time.
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Crazee added 19:49 - Apr 3 Mark why are you worried about the effect on other players? At this rate we won't have any players come the summer to effect!! JB obviously wants to come here, the fans obviously want him - for goodness sakes Clegg close this deal ASAP before someone else comes in for him. Come the summer he might have to be the players we build a new team around.
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fourth added 20:07 - Apr 3 Why is Jimmy Bullard on loan at Ipswich?
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BlueCow added 20:34 - Apr 3 Sign him up Jewell!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:55 - Apr 3 Jimmy loves us, we love him, simple. 45K a week Hull, 15K a week Ipswich, not so simple. If Mr Bullard wants to be part of PJ,s revolution as we are seemingly being led to believe, then hopefully a deal can be sorted out, but!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ipswich24 added 21:00 - Apr 3 I think we should sign Jimmy because his love of the game is infectious it rubs off on younger players and he is gr8 FOR THE DRESSING ROOM.
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:23 - Apr 3 BIG ,BIG moral boost all round if he do's sign, i personally believe he really wants it to happen. heres hoping !
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TigerPhil added 21:27 - Apr 3 As a Hull City fan Bullard has been nothing but a problem. Complete waste of money. I am happy for the guy as he seems to be playing well for your lot. Bullard has just bought a pub near Hull (along with Ashbee- former club captain now at Preston). But as someone else points out- if money didnt matter to him then why did he ask for an EXTRA £25k a week at Celtic to move there over summer? For me- with pretty much all footballers- talk is cheap. When it comes down to it they are all in for themselves, end of story. Bullard is a decent player. We paid stupid money for him (both in terms of the transfer fee and the stupid wages). For me I owuld be happy to see him go and get away from us... The only thing I worry about (for you lot) is the injury issue. He is not a player who stays fit for long.

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Lightningboy added 22:00 - Apr 3 Sign him up..he'll be the key to a promotion push next season.
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devontractorboy added 23:48 - Apr 3 Agree sign him up, make him the skipper next season.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 00:04 - Apr 4 even at 15-20k per WEEK he will still be looking for a 3 year contract, with his injury record that is a BIG risk
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