Loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard has again hinted that he would be prepared to take a significant pay cut to move to Portman Road on a permanent basis in the summer. Bullard, 32, has two years remaining on his Hull City contract which is worth £45,000-a-week, 21% of the Tigers’ wage bill.
But speaking to one of Sunday's tabloids, the one-time England call-up reiterated his comments from a fortnight ago when he said that the financial side of football is far from his only concern: "Money isn’t everything to me. I’ve really enjoyed my time on loan at Portman Road and would love a permanent move.”
Town would probably only stretch to paying the former Peterborough, Wigan and Fulham man around 40% of his current earnings at most, while any deal will hinge on the midfielder and Hull being able to settle his current contract. Any fee received by the Tigers is likely to go towards this pay-off.
Bullard has scored four goals in 11 starts since joining the Blues on a half-season loan in January.
Elsewhere, the Blues are again linked with West Brom striker Simon Cox with a £1.5 million summer offer said to be on the cards. Blues boss Paul Jewell has previously targeted signing the 23-year-old on loan with an eye towards a longer term deal.