Town manager Jim Magilton says the Blues will not pay Cork City £100,000 for trialist George O'Callaghan. Reports earlier today claimed that the Eircom League club had slapped the six-figure price on the former Port Vale midfielder.
Magilton says that O'Callaghan won't be joining Town if the Irish club demands that sort of fee: "If Cork want £100,000 for George they won't be getting it from us, although we accept we must pay a fee for the player.
"While I don't blame Cork for trying to get as much as they can for the lad, I don't see him as a £100,000 player just yet."
O'Callaghan is interesting a number of other clubs and if the Blues and Cork cannot come to an arrangement, the 27-year-old could go on trial elsewhere. Magilton has been impressed with O'Callaghan during his three-month trial and is keen to offer him a contract at Portman Road.
Magilton, who will complete the permanent signing of winger Gary Roberts in January, has also noted that former loan target Jonny Evans has had his season-long spell at Royal Antwerp cut short by Manchester United. The 18-year-old Northern Irish defender is highly rated by Magilton but the likelihood is that he has been recalled as cover for United rather than with a view to being sent out on loan closer to home.