Town boss Roy Keane has been keeping an eye on Cardiff City central defender Gábor Gyepes, according to reports in Wales. The Hungarian international is unlikely to be in Dave Jones’s first team and may move on in order to play regular football.
Cardiff, who are currently subject to a transfer embargo, are hoping to sign former defender Glenn Loovens on loan from Celtic by the time the season starts, leaving them with five centre-halves. The Blues are likely to be looking for additional central defenders with Damien Delaney out for three months with a thigh injury and Alex Bruce expected to move on to Sheffield United.
Budapest-born Gyepes started his career with hometown club Ferencváros, joining Wolves in 2005 after a trial.
A cruciate knee ligament injury in March 2006 led to fears that his career might be over and saw his Wolves contract terminated. But, after recovering back home in Hungary, Gyepes won a deal at Northampton Town in January 2008. The following summer the 29-year-old moved on to Cardiff for £200,000.
Gyepes, who is married to Hungarian figure skater Diana Poth, scored the second of Cardiff’s goals in their 2-1 defeat of the Blues at Portman Road in December 2008.
Capped 26 times by his country, scoring one goal, 6ft 3in tall Gyepes is contracted to Cardiff until 2012.
Gyepes is the second Cardiff player to be linked with the Blues this summer with Town's efforts to sign striker Michael Chopra still understood to be ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Blues continue to be linked with another Hungarian, Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop. Newspapers in the North-East expect an offer thought to be in the region of £1 million made by Town earlier this week to be accepted by the Black Cats. Fulop is understood to be weighing up whether to join the Blues with West Brom previously linked. Chief executive Simon Clegg is currently away from Portman Road but is still involved in club business by phone.
While Fulop looks likely to be on his way out of the Stadium of Light, former Blue Titus Bramble has completed his £1 million switch to the Wearside cub from Wigan.