Town are continuing to chase Preston North End defender Sean St Ledger, according to some of this morning’s tabloids. On Tuesday the Blues were reported to have been quoted a fee of £2.5 million for the Irish international.

Owner and chairman Marcus Evans showed his willingness to hand new boss Paul Jewell significant transfer cash earlier in the week when a deal understood to be well in excess of £1 million was agreed with Swindon for Charlie Austin, the striker ultimately joining Burnley after Town were unable to agree personal terms.

Evans would probably not stretch to paying as much as £2.5 million for St Ledger but at 26 the centre-half, who is rated as one of the best defenders outside the Premier League, is likely to have a future resale value.

Preston would in reality probably accept a figure somewhat lower than the one quoted earlier in the week, despite St Ledger being under contract until 2012.

Having progressed through the youth system at Peterborough, St Ledger went on loan to Stevenage Borough in 2004.

After making the breakthrough at Posh, the Birmingham-born defender joined Preston in July 2006 for a fee of £225,000.

St Ledger moved to Middlesbrough on loan at the start of last season, having impressed in his time at Deepdale. The short-term spell was expected to turn into a £4 million permanent switch but the 5ft 11in tall defender failed to settle in the North-East and returned to Preston.

Qualifying to play for Ireland via his grandfather from Carlow, St Ledger has won 16 full caps and has scored two goals.

Continuing reports that the Blues are looking to move for an experienced right-sided central defender are likely to increase speculation that Gareth McAuley’s time at Town might be close to coming to an end.

The Northern Irishman, whose current Blues contract is up in the summer, turned down Town’s initial offer of a two-year deal before Christmas, with SPL giants Rangers having been interested in signing the 31-year-old last summer but failing to match the club’s valuation.

McAuley and skipper David Norris were due to speak to new boss Paul Jewell regarding their futures towards the end of last week. The January transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday night.

Photo: Action Images

thebeat added 23:05 - Jan 30 I dont bother getting excited about potential signing's anymore, whats the point when "Trigger" Clegg is trying to close the deal, when we do get our man it takes "Trigger" about a week to get the deal done so if anybody gets signed by tommorow night i'll be amazed
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My_Favourite_Dress added 23:15 - Jan 30 Not worth £2.5m. Personally think we have players as good as him already. Not sure how many times he's played for Preston this term but they are not exactly flying are they!!!
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warwickblue added 23:52 - Jan 30 Gio on loan anyone? I'm off to bed, goodnight.
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:40 - Jan 31 Torres ?
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fatronaldo added 07:48 - Jan 31 dirtydingusmagee: Well he do want to play in a blue shirt nowadays doesnt hE?
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:35 - Jan 31 Clegg will screw it up !
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Karlosfandangal added 08:41 - Jan 31 Why is it Cleggs fault the Austin deal was not done. Reading the Hutchings Comments got the feeling Ipswich were not going to be caught up in a auction. Well done Clegg, Austin should want to play for the club, not just sign for a club who will pay you the most. If Ipswich had offered a 3.5 year deal on 12k a week and he wanted more, I am glad Clegg said no Austin would have doubled his salary over night. Austin may score goals in Div 1, we will see how how good he is in the Championship,Remember certain bloke called Parkin from Swindon. How many have slagged off Martin on here, yet that was a deal done by Clegg, O sorry that one was Keane's fault.

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Letchworth_Blue added 09:12 - Jan 31 Yawn!!!......wake me up when we actually SIGN someone!
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devontractorboy added 09:25 - Jan 31 Today will be the day.....................................................................................................................................when nothing will happen at Ipswich!!!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:26 - Jan 31 Letchworth-blue..........you'll be Rip Van Winkle then!
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bobble added 09:27 - Jan 31 i hearda rumour we signed a new office cleaner from Felixstowe if this is true how come the tabloids have not picked up on it ?. perhaps they werent tapping her phone ! and missed out on this world changing event.lock up the tax dodgers and close down the overseas tax havens
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Jacktor_boy added 09:37 - Jan 31 If there is one area that we looked weak under Keane than its at the back, wonder if we will ever get a right back to replace David Wright one day? Still looks like a good signing if we can get him.
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TimmyH added 09:41 - Jan 31 Another rumour which won't come off...gotta be better central defenders than him, if he's so good why are Preston rock bottom?
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Fatboy added 09:50 - Jan 31 TimmyH, because football's a team game. Don't forget we signed McAuley from Leicester the season after they'd been relegated to League One.
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KesgraveBlue added 09:54 - Jan 31 I understand that both McAuley and Norris want £25k per week. Do you still think they are worth keeping?
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TimmyH added 09:57 - Jan 31 £25k per week!! if that's true let a premiership team pick them up...which I doubt will happen, especially for Norris!
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h32 added 21:10 - Jan 31 Karlosfandangal - you must be Clegg's long lost cousin - just a reminder that GOOD strikers WILL score at any level. In fact the higher the level they play at - the better service they get from those around them - therefore it can often be easier for them to do so. Just ask them - they will agree.
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