Tabloid reports this morning claim that Manchester City have lodged a 'final take it or leave it' bid of £4 million for David Johnson. The stories which claim that Joe Royle has already increased an earlier bid of £3 million twice and that this is his final offer.
Rumours that Johnson may return to Manchester have been ongoing for more than a year now. However, it is only recently that reports have talked of bids being made and then turned down. After the League match at Maine Road at the end of November Johnson was quoted in a Manchester paper allegedly saying: "It would be very tempting to come to City if they came in for me. I have signed a long contract at Ipswich but you have got to start thinking when you are third or fourth choice."
This fanned the fire as did Alun Armstrong's purchase from Middlesbrough. Town sources have suggested that Johnson was misquoted by the Manchester paper, however Johnson has told TWTD in the past how much he enjoyed living in Wythenshawe during his days with Manchester United and then later Bury.
Also Johnson does find himself well down the Town pecking order at the moment and may feel that a move away from Portman Road might be to his advantage. An offer of £4 million for a player who has failed to score on his six Premiership stars (plus six as sub) so far may be tempting for Messrs Sheepshanks and Burley. If, of course, the story has any truth in it.
Town have made no comment on the matter at any stage, although George Burley has continually said that he is not selling any of his first team squad this season. As Alun Armstrong came in he added that despite the purchase of another striker he is not looking to offload any of his other frontmen.
Alun Armstrong is another doubt for Saturday's Sky clash with Spurs. Town's new signing has acquired knee and calf injuries in the Chelsea match. Jim Magilton is also still a doubt with his knee injury picked up during the Manchester United game.
There are some tickets available for Town's FA Cup third round match at Morecambe. The covered terrace tickets are in short supply, most of the 979 tickets wnt to Away Match Passport holders, and are available for £15 to Portman Plus Gold holders with eight away match stubs.
Morecambe have already sold out of their tickets.