Town loan star Jimmy Bullard is a summer target of newly-promoted Norwich City, according to one of this morning’s tabloids. The Blues are keen to recruit the Hull City man on a permanent basis, but boss Paul Jewell has admitted that with the midfielder having two years left on his £45,000-a-week contract at Hull it would be a difficult deal for the club to do.
Premier League QPR, Wigan and now-relegated West Ham have all previously been mentioned in connection with the 32-year-old, who recently went on a short holiday to Spain with a number of Town team-mates, including Connor Wickham, and has said on a number of occasions that if a deal could be done, he’d love to stay at Portman Road.
Hull's head of football operations Adam Pearson said last week that his club was yet to receive any enquiries regarding the one-time England call-up, while some reports have suggested that the Blues and other sides may look to take Bullard on loan next season if the Tigers are willing to enter into that sort of deal.
Bullard was named Town’s Player of the Year after a hugely successful loan spell in which he scored five goals in 16 games.
The Canaries are also claimed to be eyeing Everton striker James Vaughan, who spent much of last season on loan at Crystal Palace and is also believed to be interesting Town.
Meanwhile, former Blues academy schoolboy keeper Nick Pope, 19, has joined League One Charlton Athletic from Bury Town on a two-year contract after impressing for the Ryman Premier League club.
Elsewhere, ex-Town striker Shefki Kuqi has been released after his short stint back in the Premier League with Newcastle United.
There was better news for another former Blues frontman with Blackpool taking up an option to keep Billy Clarke for a further season. The Irishman spent this campaign on the sidelines with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
The Seasiders have released ex-Town loanee Marlon Harewood, while Marcus Bent has left Birmingham City.