Boss Jim Magilton has confirmed that he is still interested in signing Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi, however, the move hasn't gone as far as reports in the North-East earlier today claimed.

According to reports in the Newcastle press, Ameobi was at Portman Road yesterday for a medical ahead of a switch to Town for an initial £2.5 million fee, but the move is still very much in the early stages.

Magilton told the club site: "He is not having a medical, but we have spoken to his agent and we're in the process of talking.

"Shola is a player with immense promise, but at 26 he needs to start fulfilling it. He has to decide what he wants to do. If he wants to hang around and then wait to go on a free, then it's entirely down to him.

"If he wants to come and show desire to come and play at Championship level, then we would certainly be interested in taking him."

The Town manager says Ameobi is a player he rates very highly: "I think he's a very, very good footballer. I think he would certainly suit the system we play at this football club, we would give him a platform to come and play.

"But it's all fantasy football at the moment until we get that opportunity to sit across a desk and speak to Shola it's not really worth talking about. I just want to talk to him to ask him how keen he is to come and play for us.”

Ameobi, who was first linked with the Blues by sources in the North-East back in March, was born in Nigeria but moved to Newcastle as child, joining the Magpies' youth set-up as a 13-year-old.

The 6ft 3in tall frontman made his senior debut in 2000/01 during Sir Bobby Robson's time as Newcastle manager and has now made 135 starts and 95 sub appearances, scoring 46 goals. Charlie Woods, one-time assistant to Robson at Newcastle and now to Jim Magilton at Portman Road, will know the frontman very well.

A hip injury, surgery and subsequent rehabilitation have reduced the former England U21 international's opportunities in recent seasons and in March, with the Blues apparently watching the situation, Ameobi joined Stoke City on loan, failing to score in three starts and three sub appearances.

Norwich City, Middlesbrough, Hull City and MLS side Toronto FC are amongst a number of other clubs linked with the striker this summer.

Town's interest appeared to have cooled after Ameobi returned from his honeymoon and gave the Blues no indication that he wanted a move to Portman Road.

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