Crystal Palace's Jon Macken is the former £5 million striker Blues boss Jim Magilton is trying to recruit before Saturday's home game with Hull City. Magilton wants to bring the Irish international to Portman Road on an initial one-month loan.

The Town manager says he will be talking to Palace about the 28-year-old's availability: “Macken is definitely a player who interests us.

“I will be speaking to Palace manager Peter Taylor to see if we can get something done. I'd like to sign him on loan for a month and take it from there.”

Macken started his career at hometown club Manchester United but moved on to Preston on a free transfer in 1997 having failed to break into the first team at Old Trafford.

It was at Deepdale under David Moyes's management where the 5ft 11in tall striker made his name, scoring 74 goals in 229 games and winning England U18 caps. He was also named the players' player of the year twice and fans' player of the year once when at Deepdale.

Macken's form, particularly his hold-up play, alerted then Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan and in February 2002 he paid Preston £5 million for his services, saying at the time: “I rate Jon Macken's ability very highly otherwise I would not have broken the club's transfer record. I think he is an excellent player who is different from what we have here at the moment."

The frontman's spell with City was hit by injury and he made only 59 appearances, scoring 12 goals, although in August 2004 he won his first and so far only full cap for the Republic of Ireland as a sub in a friendly against Bulgaria at Lansdowne Road.

Macken left City in June 2005, joining Crystal Palace for £750,000. However, he has made little impact at Selhurst Park, injuries again taking their toll, and has scored only two goals in 29 games. This season his only involvement was the first 45 minutes in Palace's second game of the season against Southend.

Town fans may recall Macken as the first Palace player red-carded in the game between the two sides at Portman Road last season, having caught Owen Garvan with an elbow.

As expected, Town targeting a new striker looks like leading to Sam Parkin's exit. Manager Magilton says that his future could be settled by the end of the week with Luton and Preston leading the chase. The Hatters are reported to have offered £300,000 and the Lilywhites slightly less for the player the Blues signed from Swindon for £450,000 last summer.

The Blues boss is also looking at strengthening his defence, having failed to land Manchester United youngster Paul McShane, who joined West Brom last week.

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