Sunderland boss Steve Bruce says he would talk to Town about Daryl Murphy and David Healy joining the Blues permanently in the summer. The duo are currently on loan at Portman Road until the end of the season.
Bruce said: "Both Daryl and David seem happy with Ipswich. If Ipswich are happy with them we'll sit down and see if we can sort out something agreeable to all parties.”
Settling the terms of the duo’s current Premier League contracts is likely to be the main stumbling block with their current earnings probably close to double the highest wage at Portman Road, understood to be in the region of £12,000-a-week. Healy has another year left on his Black Cats deal, while Murphy’s contract is up in the summer of 2012.
Bruce is well aware that wages are the problem when players move out of the Premier League: "There's a big difference when dropping down to the Championship.
"This is reflected in wages and can be a barrier to stop a lot of players moving down.”
The former Manchester United defender says the duo would be unlikely to feature too often if they were to return to the Stadium of Light: "Both Daryl and David have been regular members of my squad, but realistically to be fair to them it is time to move on. Their chances at Sunderland are limited.
"They both have lots of good qualities, but I have Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones as my first choice strikers with Frazier Campbell next in line followed by my January signing Benjani.”
Murphy has scored five goals in eight starts since joining the Blues, while Healy has netted once in four starts and three sub appearances.
Sunderland are likely to be unwilling to allow midfielder Jack Colback to move on a permanent basis. The 20-year-old is also on loan at Portman Road until the end of the season.