Chairman David Sheepshanks has revealed that the Blues have now made their much reported third offer to Blackburn Rovers for striker Franny Jeffers. Town have been repeatedly claimed to be putting together a third bid over the last fortnight.

Sheepshanks says the club are continuing the lengthy negotiations with Rovers over the signing of Jeffers: “The ball is still in play and we have made a new proposal. There is a disagreement over values at the moment.”

The chairman says he is hopeful that a deal can be thrashed out with Blackburn and then the player over his personal terms, with Sheepshanks unwilling to break the club's wage structure to accommodate the former Everton, Arsenal and Charlton man.

Town had previously made bids believed to be in the region of £350,000 and £500,000 plus add-ons for Jeffers, while Blackburn have valued the one-time England man at £1 million. Coventry and an as yet unknown third Championship club are also understood to be in the running for the 26-year-old's signature.

If nothing can be agreed with Blackburn and Jeffers, boss Jim Magilton has other players in mind, with former Blue Pablo Couñago's chances of returning to Portman Road perhaps increased by Malcolm Christie's likely move to Stoke City.

Sheepshanks says the Blues' intention is still to add Jeffers plus one or two more players to the squad, almost certainly the ball-winning midfielder Magilton mentioned earlier in the summer and an experienced goalkeeper, with no one expected to depart.

Loanees are also likely to be in Magilton's plans for the season ahead and Middlesbrough's Matthew Bates and Newcastle's Andrew Carroll have already been linked.

Meanwhile, former Town striker Sammy Morrow has joined Derry City back in his native Northern Ireland from SPL side Hibs.

Across the pond, the Chicago Fire have decided against appointing Town legend Paul Mariner as their head coach, instead choosing former Manchester City assistant boss Juan Carlos Osorio. Mariner had been hotly tipped to move to the Fire from his current position as ex-Liverpool man Steve Nichol's assistant at the New England Revolution.

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