Newly-promoted QPR are linked with a season-long loan move for Town target Jimmy Bullard in a number of this morning’s papers. Blues boss Paul Jewell wants the Hull midfielder to return to Portman Road next season — again possibly on loan - but concedes it will be a difficult deal to do with Premier League sides also interested.
QPR have been eyeing Bullard throughout his time at Town and manager Neil Warnock is reported to be looking to negotiate a loan with the Tigers, the one-time England call-up’s wages having put Rangers off doing a permanent deal. One paper claims two of Bullard's previous clubs, West Ham and Wigan, may also be interested once their divisional status is known.
The possibility of Bullard returning to Portman Road for a further loan next season is something Town and Hull have also been discussing, with some reports suggesting that the Blues are ready to break their wage structure to land this season's Player of the Year on loan for the 2011/12 campaign.
Town are said to be willing to pay Bullard £20,000 of his famed £45,000 weekly wage for the 32-year-old to return to Suffolk.
Jewell admitted last week that a further loan spell may well be looked at: "We will explore all avenues, any way we can do it, we’ll try and do it. I think people have to realise that some things at times aren’t doable but we will endeavour and try our very best to do it.”
However, if they can, Hull will almost certainly want to entirely rid themselves of Bullard’s salary, which they are contracted to for the next two years and which makes up 21% of their wage bill.
But, if no permanent deal can be done with Town or another party, a further loan may be seen as a temporary solution.
Meanwhile, former Blues and QPR boss Jim Magilton is amongst those being interviewed for the manager's job at Swindon Town.