Town striker Marcus Bent is on the verge of joining Leicester City on loan for the rest of the season. The striker had been interesting Middlesbrough and Leeds, however the Foxes appear to be the only club to have made a firm offer.

Bent is travelling to talk to Micky Adams regarding the switch today, the deal needing to be completed by the 5pm deadline.

Town boss Joe Royle told the club site: "Leicester have been in for Marcus and he's talking to them today about a season long loan.

"I'll be sad to see Marcus go, if he goes, but our financial situation has been well documented and we needed to ease the wage bill to enable us to bring in someone on loan ourselves."

Bent, who joined Town from Blackburn in late 2001, is the club's second highest earner with a contract that ends in June 2005.

Interest in Bent from Leeds apparently cooled with them looking to Marseille player Cyril Chapuis. After an enquiry the Blues have heard no more from Middlesbrough.

Joe Royle says he knows his loan targets and if Bent signs for Leicester he will presumably seek to bring them in prior to the Blues' game at West Brom in a fortnight.

Leicester's interest in Bent was first reported at the end of last season and has been mentioned fairly regularly since then.

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