Town manager George Burley has said that Finidi George will be at Portman Road next week to talk terms and take a look around. The Nigerian plays for his country against Ghana on Sunday and is expected here after that.
It seems Real Mallorca president Mateo Alemany has now explained the situation to Finidi, who said on Monday that he knew nothing of the deal with Town. Alemany flew out to Mallorca's Austrian pre-season headquarters to brief the player.
Burley said: "We have had talks and things have been very positive so far. Finidi is playing for his country this weekend and we are looking to bring him over next week. He is still contracted to Real Mallorca and is continuing to do the right thing by them, but things are moving along nicely."
Finidi has said that he will give a move to Town due consideration, despite early comments suggesting he would only leave Spain for a bigger club.
Town face competition for his signature from Italian side Parma.
George Burley will watch another player this weekend, although he says there is no deal being done as yet: "I will follow-up my interest in this player by watching him this weekend, but we have not yet made an offer for him."
Reports suggest that this target might be 32-year-old Croatian Robert Prosinecki. He has turned down Portsmouth as he wants to play in the Premiership. A whole host of other clubs are also claimed to be interested in him including Bolton, Everton and Derby.
Darren Bent, Town's 17-year-old goal machine, is chuffed to bits that he has started the season with the first team. Bent scored one goal in three tour appearances and has even put his driving lessons on hold.
Of his elevation to the first team Bent said: "It has all come so early. I was hoping to get a first team chance midway through the season. It was quality, real quality and everyone made me feel welcome. I was a bit nervous but once it started I was OK. It was a tremendous experience to be there."
Bent roomed with Amir Karic on the tour and got on well with the Slovenian: "He looked after me over there. I really like him."
He is again in the squad for the game at Braintree and also hopes to be included at Peterbrough on Sunday and beyond into the new season.
The new North Stand will start to appear above ground next week. As North Standers receive their season tickets for their only season in the South Stand their permanent home starts to take shape.
As we reported recently the West Ham game on October 26th is the date pencilled in for the lower tier's opening.
This week the foundations will be poured and steelwork will begin to arrive as well as a crawling crane.
As is evident from our photos throughout the summer work is going on all around Portman Road. New turnstiles are being built in Sir Alf Ramsey Way, while a new temporary ticket office is appearing in Constantine Road. The old one will be the club's reception area.
The area in front of the old ticket office is being brick-paved right up to the edge of the Fieldturf plastic pitch.
The gym is being converted into a number of rooms including a players' lounge while the South Stand is still the focus of work.
All seats are now in, but work continues in the concourse area. The restaurant is being glazed and the kitchens fitted. This will open for the UEFA Cup reunion dinner on August 30th.
In the Cobbold Stand the girders have been painted blue after being orange since the stand was built in the mid-seventies. Blue lights also appear to have been tested in the Cobbold over the summer.
Throughout the ground the very poor PA system is being replaced. All in all Portman Road is undergoing a facelift in a very short space of time at a cost of £25 million.