Reports today are renewing the link between Marcus Bent and Charlton. Addicks boss Alan Curbishley was at Town's game with Celta Vigo on Saturday and, with the transfer market deflated and Town in a position where they need to sell, he may feel he can get Bent at a low price.

According to the report Charlton may hope to tempt Town with an offer of less than £2 million, more than £1 million lower than the Blues paid Blackburn back in November last year.

Speculation is increasing that Town's financial plans have been badly hit by the collapse in the transfer market. Throughout the close season the Blues have consistently made it clear that they needed moves out of Portman Road this summer to maintain stability.

With the market so far slow only Titus Bramble's move has come and there are even suggestions that the likes of Marcus Stewart, amongst the highest earners at the club, may leave on knockdown fees to reduce the often quoted 'shortfall' to more manageable levels.

While David Sheepshanks has remained bullish regarding the club's position up to now ("The position of this club is strong. The infrastructure is sound and we have managed to develop the value of our players.") he has been notably silent since yesterday's story in the Evening Star which reported that the club were £13 million away from reducing their shortfall.

While the value of players has been developed as Sheepshanks says, that value is very much dependent on whether other clubs are in a position to purchase those players, both from a financial perspective and transfer window point of view.

As August 31st draws closer Premiership clubs realise that First Division sides like Town might not be in a position to turn down offers that earlier in the summer they might have seen as well below their assessment of their player's worth.

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