Central defender Gareth McAuley is set to sign a three-year deal with the Blues today as he completes his move from Leicester City. The fee for the Northern Irishman is variously reported to be between £1.1 million and £1.5 million.

McAuley, 28, says the Foxes' backline was somewhat better than might have been expected from a relegated side: "Our defensive record at Leicester last season speaks for itself.”

Despite dropping into League One, Leicester had the second best defence in the Championship conceding only 45 times, 11 fewer than the Blues. However, goals were similarly hard to come by at the other end of the field.

The former Linfield, Crusaders, Coleraine and Lincoln man has been a Town target since the last transfer window when Jim Magilton had three offers rebuffed by the Foxes.

McAuley, 6ft 3in tall, joined Leicester on a free transfer from the Imps in the summer of 2006 after his contract at Sincil Bank came to an end. In February he signed a new deal which would have kept him at the Walkers Stadium until 2011, but which is understood to have included a clause which allowed him to leave the Foxes if an offer at a pre-agreed fee came in.

The Larne-born centre-half, capped 10 times by Northern Ireland, will be remembered by many Town fans for scoring both goals as Leicester defeated the Blues 2-0 at Portman Road in February 2007.

Meanwhile, Burnley have denied reports claiming that Alan Gow's proposed switch from Rangers has broken down. Talks with the former Falkirk man will continue today.

Town were reported to be watching the situation, Gow having been a target during the January transfer window, in case the move to the Clarets broke down. Gow joining Burnley is part of the deal which will see Kyle Lafferty, another Town target, sign for Rangers.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls