Reports in Spain are again linking former Blue Pablo Couñago with a return to Portman Road. The 27-year-old is out of contract at current club Málaga at the end of June and is not expected to remain with the Spanish Segunda División side.

Boss Jim Magilton was first linked with a move for his former team-mate in January, however, Málaga were reported to want a fee of around £130,000 for Couñago, a fee the Blues were unwilling to pay for a player who had only six months remaining on his contract.

Magilton confirmed Town's interest and said he could consider the move again in the close season: “I went after Pablo for a very good reason - he's a quality player and I felt he could be a real asset to us.

“It didn't work out this time but he is out of contract in the summer and we could revisit the situation then. I would certainly not rule it out.

“There were a few complications, one of them being that Málaga weren't keen to let go of him, but that will not be a problem in the summer when he will be a free agent.

“I think he's a very, very good player but I had to be sure that he wanted to come back for the right reasons and when I spoke to him it was clear he has a real hunger about him to return and perhaps prove a few people wrong.”

Couñago joined Málaga on a free transfer from the Blues in the summer of 2005 after making 69 starts and 52 sub appearances in four years with Town, scoring 36 times.

The former Celta Vigo man had a difficult first season back in Spain with his side dropping out of La Liga, Couñago making 28 appearances and scoring three goals. This year in the Segunda División the former Town number nine has netted seven times in 27 games.

Couñago's 2005 release by Town followed a falling out with former boss Joe Royle, the Blues having spent his final season trying to off-load his wages of around the £20,000-a-week mark. If he were to return in the summer, his salary would be significantly lower.

Jim Magilton has made no secret that he wants to add to his strikers before the start od 2007/08 with former loanee Franny Jeffers his number one objective, while speculation continues regarding Alan Lee's future, despite the Town manager's insistence that the claimed Coventry City target will remain at Portman Road.

Meanwhile, former Town trialist Joe Francis has completed his move from Woodbridge Town to King's Lynn. Francis spent a couple of spells with the Blues during last season and scored two goals for the reserves but was not offered a contract.

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