Wigan’s Chris Kirkland and free agent former Portsmouth midfielder Michael Brown are the latest players to be linked with the Blues by this morning’s tabloids. Town are also said to have renewed their interest in Doncaster’s James Coppinger, while there are the now regular stories claiming Sunderland have made a bid for Connor Wickham.
With Márton Fülöp looking likely to leave Portman Road this summer Turkish side Bursaspor's interest having become known earlier in the week, it was perhaps inevitable that Kirkland, who played under Paul Jewell and Chris Hutchings for the Latics, would be linked.
The 30-year-old, whose career has been blighted by injury problems, is unlikely to be the first choice at the DW Stadium next season having made only four appearances for Roberto Martinez’s side during 2010/11, in addition to a short spell on loan at Leicester which included the infamous snow match at Portman Road.
Capped once by England at full level, Kirkland started his career with Coventry before moving on to Liverpool for £6 million in August 2001.
The 6ft 4in tall keeper failed to establish himself at Anfield and spent time out on loan at West Brom and Wigan before joining Jewell’s club permanently in October 2006 for an undisclosed fee.
Having established himself as the first choice keeper over a number of years, Kirkland lost his place to Ali Al-Habsi early last season. The Barwell-born keeper is contracted to Wigan until the summer of 2012.
Michael Brown has been rumoured to be a Town target for a few weeks now, having left Portsmouth at the end of the season, with one of this morning’s papers claiming the Blues have offered him a one-year deal.
The combative 34-year-old started his career with Joe Royle’s Manchester City, spending time out on loan with hometown club Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Sheffield United while at Maine Road, before joining the Blades permanently in January 2000 for £400,000.
It was at Bramall Lane that the 5ft 7in tall midfielder made his name prior to a January 2004 move to Spurs.
After two years at White Hart Lane, Brown joined Fulham, then in July 2007 current Town coach Chris Hutchings took him to Wigan and in August 2009 the midfielder signed on at Pompey.
The Blues are also said to have offered Doncaster £400,000 for James Coppinger, an increase of £100,000 on the earlier offer which was turned down along with a bid for striker Billy Sharp.
Last week Paul Jewell confirmed that he would continue to target the 30-year-old, who is a former Exeter team-mate of Town coach Sean McCarthy. The Grecians are entitled to 15% of any profit Doncaster make on the £35,000 they paid the Devon club for Coppinger in 2004.
Today’s Connor Wickham story repeats earlier claims that Sunderland have triggered a bidding war by making a £9 million offer with Liverpool, Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal also all in the battle to sign the 18-year-old, who could win his fourth England U21 cap tonight when Stuart Pearce’s side take on the Czech Republic in their final group game at the UEFA European Championship in Denmark (Sky Sports One/HD1 7.30pm).
Town are said to have targeted a fee of £12 million for the striker, who is contracted to the Blues until June 2014. Wickham has also been included in The Guardian's list of Europe's top 50 summer transfer targets.
Elsewhere, Nathan Ellington, who is understood to have been the player who held talks with Paul Jewell at Portman Road last Monday, has tweeted that he isn't returning to loan club Preston for the new season: "Won't be going back to Deepdale, I'm afraid. Things were bit complicated for the club which meant it couldn't happen.”
Ellington, who like Kirkland played for Jewell at Wigan, is a free agent having been released by Watford at the end of the season.