Emile Mpenza's agent Rachid Tajmout has insisted that his player's proposed move to Portman Road is still on, despite Town chief executive Derek Bowden recently ruling the Blues out of the running for the former Manchester City frontman.

Talmout told a Belgian newspaper that the 30-year-old is happy to drop into the Championship to join Town: "The top of the second division is better than the bottom of the Premier League. Emile also thinks so.

"Ipswich only missed the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League by one point last season."

According to the paper, Town have offered the Belgian international a two-year contract with the option of a third.

Tajmout's comments appear to completely contradict Derek Bowden's recent quote withdrawing the Blues from the chase for Mpenza: "As you would expect we had a long list of players for various positions we know we need to strengthen. That has now been whittled down to a relatively short list and Mpenza is not on it.”

Mpenza's agent, who has been somewhat vocal on the subject of his player's future throughout the summer, has previously revealed that Bolton, Reading, Leicester and Turkish side Trabzonspor are also interested in the striker.

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