Town have targeted four Sunderland players in a £7 million bid, according to a tabloid report. Daryl Murphy and Nyron Nosworthy are the other players Roy Keane is aiming to land, in addition to Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards.
All four were key players during Keane’s spell at the Stadium of Light and were involved in Monday’s Carling Cup tie at Norwich, which the Blues boss is understood to have attended.
On Monday TWTD reported that Nosworthy, Murphy and Edwards were amongst Keane’s targets, while news of the Blues’ interest in Leadbitter broke this afternoon.
Leadbitter’s PFA representative Matthew Buck has confirmed that a fee for the former England U21 international has been agreed, but as yet there is no clarification on the position regarding the other reported offers.
Nosworthy, who Keane switched from full-back to centre-half, has long been known to be a player the Town manager rates highly, while the Blues and Murphy have been negotiating a move for most of the summer.
Meanwhile, Celtic boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that his skipper Stephen McManus doesn’t fancy joining Town: "I have no problem with people being interested in our players, but what I would suggest, from my understanding, is Stephen McManus would have no interest in going to Ipswich Town. He is captain of our club and wants to get himself back into our team.”