Joe Royle says that three clubs are currently in the race to sign striker Darren Bent. Charlton are understood to be the frontrunners and to have had a bid for £3.2 million turned down last week.

Royle says that Sunderland are one of the interested parties, although is not their main target: “We want Darren to stay, but if he goes we want the best return. I think he is down the Sunderland pecking order, but they are one of three clubs showing a strong interest."

The third club is likely to be Wigan who are keen to add Bent to their promotion-winning frontline.

Reports in the North-East suggest Kelvin Davis's move to Sunderland is close and the player could have talks regarding personal terms as soon as today. Out-of-contract midfielder Tommy Miller has already spoken to the Black Cats and is reported to be speaking to Leeds United on Wednesday.

Despite fees of something like £4 million mark coming in for Bent and Davis, Royle says his spending power is limited by the club's financial situation: “If there is a little left in the pot from any transfer deals after the bank etc have taken their money, it will be used to bring players in.

“We cannot work towards signing newcomers until we know where we stand with our current squad.

“It is frustrating that we are still paying for going into administration. But we have no alternative than to get on with it.”

Town, more than £30 million in debt, continue to be subject to the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) agreed when the club came out of administration in May 2003 and will again make a more than £350,000 payment to preferential creditors in September.

Norwich Union, who supplied the bond which helped build the two new stands, will also be due their annual payment of nearly £1.5 million, Barclays almost £500,000 as part of the repayment of the club's overdraft and the Bank of Scotland will receive £68,000, an instalment of the mortgage on the training ground.

Royle expects veterans Jim Magilton and Fabian Wilnis to accept their new one-year deals and is hopeful that Shefki Kuqi, currently away with Finland, will sign his new two-year contract, despite reported interest from the Premiership.

The Town manager says the club will be looking for players to eventually replace Magilton and Wilnis but expects both to play a significant role next season.

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