Striker Alan Lee has reiterated his desire to stay with the Blues, despite manager Jim Magilton seeking to add to his strike force this summer. Lee, 29, says he has no intention of leaving the club, having regularly been linked with moves during the last few transfer windows.

The Irishman said: "I am not in the slightest bit interested in leaving Ipswich Town.

"It is flattering to be linked with other clubs, but I have no thoughts at all about leaving.”

Last summer, Lee signed a new contract aimed at keeping him at Portman Road until 2009 with an option for a third year.

Although no club is yet to show any confirmed interest in the former Cardiff man this close season, Lee is believed to have been the player offered to Burnley as part of the proposed deal for Kyle Lafferty, who instead chose to join Rangers. The Clarets were keen to sign the Irish international during the January transfer window.

Elsewhere, Town target Kevin Phillips appears to have decided to stay at West Brom after all. The former Sunderland man was all set to leave the Hawthorns as the Baggies refused to offer him more than a one-year deal.

A switch to Derby on a two-year contract looked on the cards with Town and others also interested, however his agent Phil Smith says the ex-England forward has had a rethink: "We have come to terms with the fact there may not be two years on offer. The lure of Premier League football again is very big."

Meanwhile, unconfirmed rumours on the south coast claim Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe was at Town last week, presumably to discuss goalkeeper-coach Malcolm Webster's move from St Mary's to Portman Road.

Webster is due back with the Saints after his summer break on Thursday when it seems likely he will leave the club, new head coach Jan Poortvliet having already axed former Town assistant boss John Gorman and Jason Dodd from his coaching staff.

The recruitment of Webster to take over from Andy Rhodes may be a factor in whether Richard Wright returns to Town. Wright's loan move to the Saints last season is widely believed to have been set up by Webster, who was the former Arsenal keeper's mentor during his previous spell at Portman Road.

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