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Navas Talks Continue - Ipswich Town News

Today's Spanish newspapers continue to report ongoing negotiations between the Blues and Málaga regarding the signing of centre-half César Navas. According to the reports, the move could take place next week.

Málaga want Town to pay an initial €200,000 (£135,000) plus another €100,000 (£68,000) after the 27-year-old makes his fifth appearance for the Blues. Navas is out of action until late September or early October after breaking the third metatarsal on his right foot during Town's friendly with Crawley while on trial at Portman Road.

The Blues offered Málaga €150,000 (£100,000), but the Spanish side are looking for a higher figure as they look for cash to strengthen their team ahead of their Segunda División campaign.

Málaga are eager to offload Navas's La Liga-sized wages — his salary makes up a seventh of their overall wage bill - and sent him out on loan to Gimnàstic de Tarragona last season, where he recorded an unfortunate double of a second successive relegation from the Spanish top flight, Málaga having been demoted a year earlier. The 6ft 4in tall former Real Madrid B player is keen to move to England to continue his career.

Meanwhile, midfielder Owen Garvan says he is happy with the Blues and felt the summer fears that he would leave the club after his unscheduled trip back to Ireland were overblown: "The whole thing got blown out of proportion. I went home to see my family for a few days and then came back.

"I'm 100% happy and I'm glad to be playing at Portman Road, so I have no intention of disappearing anywhere.”

Get the fastest and most comprehensive Ipswich Town news service at ipswichtown.footballlatest.co.uk.

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