Town have revealed that their £2.58 million share of the Darren Bent fee will be paid in three instalments over two years. Earlier today Tottenham agreed a £16.5 million deal with Charlton for Bent's signature, £1 million of that fee in add-ons.

Spurs will pay Charlton the cash over three payments and the Blues will receive their money from the Addicks in line with this arrangement.

Boss Jim Magilton's transfer budget will receive a huge boost due to the deal, although it is understood that some of the cash is likely to cover a reduction in season ticket income. Overall sales were only slightly down on last season, but a larger proportion of season tickets sold are believed to have been at the various concessionary rates.

While the Bent windfall is not insignificant, it is not of the size of the deal which took Kieron Dyer to Newcastle in 1999, which allowed George Burley to mould the side which reached the Premiership and UEFA Cup.

That initial £6 million fee allowed Burley to sign Jermaine Wright, John McGreal, Gary Croft and Marcus Stewart throughout the course of the 1999/00 season. The Bent cash could potentially bring in perhaps three new signings on a mixture of free and cash basis, with Franny Jeffers still understood to be the number one target.

Former Blue Pablo Couñago has also been strongly tipped with a return to Portman Road in the Spanish press, while Magilton says Malcolm Christie could come into his thoughts if the Blues and Blackburn cannot agree a fee for Jeffers. Both Couñago and Christie are available on free transfers having been released by Málaga and Middlesbrough respectively.

Town are likely to want to organise the payment structure of any future signings around the timing of the arrangement with Charlton.

Meanwhile, another of Jim Magilton's favoured summer options, keeper Richard Wright, has been linked with Championship rivals Cardiff City.

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