Yesterday's story linking Viborg FF's midfielder or defender Thomas Frandsen is reported to have been denied by a representative of the Danish club. The Danish press said yesterday that Town had watched the 26-year-old and were very strongly linking the Dane with a move to Portman Road.

Local reports this morning claim that "Vilborg manager" [sic] Marten Jansen denied any knowledge of the story: "I have been made aware of interest from English clubs although I had not heard the rumour about Ipswich."

Intriguingly, Viborg's manager is not named Marten Jansen at all, but Søren Kusk, although the club's director is called Morten Jensen.

If Jensen is Jansen then he can't be a reader of the Danish national newspapers BT or Ekstra Bladet, both of which ran with the story yesterday, BT seemingly certain that the Dane would make a move to Town in the near future.

Ekstra Bladet even contains quotes from Jensen on the subject although he was reported as "refusing to confirm or deny" that the club interested in his player was Town.

In Ekstra Bladet Jensen says Frandsen may be willing to move to a club outside of the Premiership: "Thomas Frandsen would probably be interested in a move to a First Division club if it was one with ambitions towards the Premier League."

Both papers reported that Town scouts were at Viborg's 2-2 draw at FC Copenhagen on Sunday. Town's representative is likely to have been Simon Hunt, the club's European scout, who lives in Sweden and is well know in Scandinavia.

Frandsen, who is out of contract at the end of the season, is valued at around the £500,000-£700,000 mark and is described as a tough-tackling midfielder. He made his debut for his national side against Israel last season and narrowly missed out on the World Cup squad.

Town boss George Burley has reiterated his stance that the Blues are not in the market for any players at present, however, with Matt Holland and Jim Magilton both amongst those linked with other clubs, a move for a central midfielder once other deals have been done does not look unlikely. Indeed, the Blues were looking to secure Sixto Peralta for another season on loan until he joined Racing Club.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls