Midfielder Tommy Miller is once again being linked with a third spell at Portman Road. Miller is available on a free transfer with his Sunderland contract up at the end of June.

Miller, 28, was targeted by both Joe Royle and his successor Jim Magilton last summer and the former Hartlepool man was close to joining Town on loan in November. That move fell through at the last moment with the Blues ending their interest after Lewis Price and Shane Supple both suffered injuries and Mike Pollitt came in on loan.

Pollitt became Town's fifth loanee and Magilton decided to abandon the Miller loan deal. With five the limit on the number of loanees which can be named in a match 16, the Town manager felt the Sunderland man would rarely play, a decision which angered Black Cats boss Roy Keane.

Miller, never included by Keane after he took over at the Stadium of Light, eventually moved on to Preston on loan in mid-November, making four starts and three sub appearances in a month-and-a-half-long spell at Deepdale.

Released as 15-year-old by the Blues, Miller moved on to Hartlepool where his father Tommy senior was chief scout. After impressing in four seasons at Victoria Park, George Burley brought him back to Portman Road for £750,000 in July 2001.

The penalty expert scored 36 goals in 116 starts and 23 substitute appearances with the Blues before joining then-Premiership Sunderland on a free transfer in the summer of 2005.

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