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Fulham Double Bid? - Ipswich Town News

Fulham are reported to be about to renew their interest in Matt Holland and Marcus Bent now that they have qualified for the UEFA Cup. The Londoners qualification for Europe through the Intertoto Cup means Town will start their Worthington Cup campaign in the second round.

Earlier in the summer the Cottagers were talking to Town informally regarding Holland, discussions confirmed by his agent Jonathan Barnett.

Bent too has long been thought a target of Jean Tigana with London reports of bids turned down by Town, although this has always been refuted by George Burley.

European qualification saw Town increase their squad by around eight players at the beginning of last season and it is likely that Tigana will look to strengthen in the days prior to the end of the transfer window.

If he was to target Holland, the Town captain would not be available to him in the UEFA Cup due to his second half involvement in Town's 1-0 win against Avenir Beggen two weeks ago.

However, London does seem the only destination which Holland and his family might consider for a move, so bids from Fulham, or perhaps Charlton who may also have an interest, may well be considered by the Town skipper and his family.

Fulham's entry into Europe means that they have now taken up the eighth and final bye to the third round of the Worthington Cup. Town will now start their campaign in the second round, which will be drawn live on Sky on Saturday, September 14th.

The second round game is scheduled for Wednesday October 2nd, however, should Town progress to the UEFA Cup proper then the first round second leg match is set for October 3rd.

In order to avoid the clash of fixtures the Football League are allowing Town's Worthington Cup second round game to be played a week earlier, in the week beginning September 23rd.

This in turn would mean the second postponement of the Town-Burnley fixture which has already been postponed once due to Town's away leg with Avenir Beggen.

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