Former Blue Tommy Miller is reported to be weighing up whether to join the Blues or former loan club Preston North End on a free transfer. The 28-year-old, released by Sunderland at the end of the season, has been linked with a return to Portman Road on innumerable occasions over the last year.

Boss Jim Magilton is keen to add a midfielder to his squad over the summer and was close to landing his former team-mate on a loan basis last November. That deal fell through after the Blues brought in Mike Pollitt on loan as goalkeeper cover and, with league rules limiting the number of loanees in a squad to six, the Town boss felt Miller would have few opportunities to play during his spell.

In January, the former Hartlepool man moved to Preston on loan, where he made four starts and three sub appearances. Miller was released by Sunderland at the end of the season having had virtually no involvement after Roy Keane took over as manager.

Meanwhile, Hull City are reported to be ready to offer Alan Lee a three-year deal on £8,000-a-week, a deal which is thought to be a significant improvement on his contract at Portman Road, which has only a year to run.

The Tigers' initial bid, which was turned down earlier in the week, was reportedly £400,000 with the Blues understood to have valued the Republic of Ireland international at £500,000.

Coventry are claimed to be preparing a bid of £450,000 for the former Cardiff and Rotherham man. Lee himself is understood to be happy at Town and very settled in the area but, with his 29th birthday next month, may see his next contract as the final big deal of his career.

Elsewhere, we understand that Town are continuing to keep tabs on Cork City striker Roy O'Donovan. In January, Jim Magilton told TWTD that he had watched the 21-year-old in action during the previous Irish season.

O'Donovan, capped at B, U21 and U19 level by the Republic of Ireland, has played much of his career as a right winger, but in recent seasons has been pushed into a striking role, scoring 11 goals in the 2006 Irish season. Already this year — the Eircom League is played through the summer — O'Donovan has netted 17 times in all competitions.

Cork signed O'Donovan in March 2005 after a short spell with Cheltenham Town, the striker having previously been released by Coventry City, who he had joined as a 16-year-old.

Hull City looked favourites to sign the Cork-born striker until turning their attention to Town's Alan Lee. Reports in Ireland claim Cork value 5ft 10 in tall O'Donovan at £450,000 despite his current contract being up in November.

Town are also eyeing O'Donovan's team-mate John O'Flynn. The 25-year-old was a youngster at Peterborough United before moving home to Cork, where he partnered George O'Callaghan during the Town midfielder's spell as a striker with the Rebel Army.

O'Flynn, like O'Donovan out of contract in November, has suffered a number of injuries in recent seasons, which have reduced his appearances, but even so the 5ft 11in tall frontman managed nine goals last year. This season the former Republic of Ireland U21 international has scored four times.

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