Wigan’s Chris Kirkland and free agent former Portsmouth midfielder Michael Brown are the latest players to be linked with the Blues by this morning’s tabloids. Town are also said to have renewed their interest in Doncaster’s James Coppinger, while there are the now regular stories claiming Sunderland have made a bid for Connor Wickham.

With Márton Fülöp looking likely to leave Portman Road this summer Turkish side Bursaspor's interest having become known earlier in the week, it was perhaps inevitable that Kirkland, who played under Paul Jewell and Chris Hutchings for the Latics, would be linked.

The 30-year-old, whose career has been blighted by injury problems, is unlikely to be the first choice at the DW Stadium next season having made only four appearances for Roberto Martinez’s side during 2010/11, in addition to a short spell on loan at Leicester which included the infamous snow match at Portman Road.

Capped once by England at full level, Kirkland started his career with Coventry before moving on to Liverpool for £6 million in August 2001.

The 6ft 4in tall keeper failed to establish himself at Anfield and spent time out on loan at West Brom and Wigan before joining Jewell’s club permanently in October 2006 for an undisclosed fee.

Having established himself as the first choice keeper over a number of years, Kirkland lost his place to Ali Al-Habsi early last season. The Barwell-born keeper is contracted to Wigan until the summer of 2012.

Michael Brown has been rumoured to be a Town target for a few weeks now, having left Portsmouth at the end of the season, with one of this morning’s papers claiming the Blues have offered him a one-year deal.

The combative 34-year-old started his career with Joe Royle’s Manchester City, spending time out on loan with hometown club Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Sheffield United while at Maine Road, before joining the Blades permanently in January 2000 for £400,000.

It was at Bramall Lane that the 5ft 7in tall midfielder made his name prior to a January 2004 move to Spurs.

After two years at White Hart Lane, Brown joined Fulham, then in July 2007 current Town coach Chris Hutchings took him to Wigan and in August 2009 the midfielder signed on at Pompey.

The Blues are also said to have offered Doncaster £400,000 for James Coppinger, an increase of £100,000 on the earlier offer which was turned down along with a bid for striker Billy Sharp.

Last week Paul Jewell confirmed that he would continue to target the 30-year-old, who is a former Exeter team-mate of Town coach Sean McCarthy. The Grecians are entitled to 15% of any profit Doncaster make on the £35,000 they paid the Devon club for Coppinger in 2004.

Today’s Connor Wickham story repeats earlier claims that Sunderland have triggered a bidding war by making a £9 million offer with Liverpool, Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal also all in the battle to sign the 18-year-old, who could win his fourth England U21 cap tonight when Stuart Pearce’s side take on the Czech Republic in their final group game at the UEFA European Championship in Denmark (Sky Sports One/HD1 7.30pm).

Town are said to have targeted a fee of £12 million for the striker, who is contracted to the Blues until June 2014. Wickham has also been included in The Guardian's list of Europe's top 50 summer transfer targets.

Elsewhere, Nathan Ellington, who is understood to have been the player who held talks with Paul Jewell at Portman Road last Monday, has tweeted that he isn't returning to loan club Preston for the new season: “Won't be going back to Deepdale, I'm afraid. Things were bit complicated for the club which meant it couldn't happen.”

Ellington, who like Kirkland played for Jewell at Wigan, is a free agent having been released by Watford at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

StochesStotasBlewe added 17:31 - Jun 19 h32, "don,t panic", our mix of youth & experience will put us in good shape for the coming campaign.
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ITFC4daprem added 18:19 - Jun 19 all 3
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broomfield123 added 18:51 - Jun 19 nugent would be class if we could get him.Have nugent and chopra up front with Wickham sitting just behind um
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tractorboy2434 added 18:52 - Jun 19 Its all newspaper rumour, we won't be signing any of them will we.
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KnightZ_87 added 19:18 - Jun 19 I used to love M.Brown, i know he had a bit of a hot head at times, but he was the sort of commited midfielder any Champ club would want... At 34 though. I dont think he will be our ticket out of this league. Coppinger YES! I would like to see someone experienced but not too old. I think like a lot of people on here, we need to invest in someone from the lower leagues. Either that, or see about taking someone out on loan from the Premiership, preferably a prospectful youngster trying to break into the first team. The scum done that with Lansbury.

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Keaneish added 19:38 - Jun 19 Broomfield123 - you see us playing a 3-4-1-2 or a 3-4-3 then. Can't see it. It'll be 4-4-2 for sure.
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broomfield123 added 19:47 - Jun 19 Keanish your correct that itll more than likely be 4-4-2 but whats wrong with haveing a go at other attacking formations.Has to be better than haveing just the lone stricker which you will argue to say that mr scotland could potentially be a different player.What you reckon
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dommyboyblue added 20:29 - Jun 19 broomfield123 - if i am not mistaken the formation we played last year set up as a 4-5-1 when we did not have the ball but should have been 4-3-3 when we were attacking. It is just we probably did not have the greatest of personnel to exploit this (ie Scotland). I also see Scotland leaving us in the summer. But you are right there is nothing wrong with the squad being flexible enough to adapt to other formations when needed, but in the main we need to stick to a certain formation so everyone knows there jobs and gives the team/squad continuity. I'll be happy to go to 442 but think the formation we played last year can be just as attacking if executed correctly. I don't mind all 3 of these linked, providing experience, grit and creativity to the squad which is what we need. There is not an endless barrel of money but we need a bit of depth to the squad in key areas.

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h32 added 21:30 - Jun 19 pinewoodblueboy - wish I shared your optimism - or whatever it is.
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itfcbam added 21:34 - Jun 19 Kirkland a definate no no. Has always been vastly over-rated, looked spectacular at times when younger however often down to bad positioning. Dont think he has improved and back troubles dont bode well, dont think he is an improvement on what we have
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runaround added 21:35 - Jun 19 I would be happy if we got these 3 players in. I'm pleased with the signings so far but actually getting the players we wanted for once has made me eager for more quality signings!
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GiveusaWave added 05:49 - Jun 20 Kirkland- no,we might get 5 0r 6 games out of him if we are lucky Brown- might be worth it for a season. not ambitious though Coppinger- doesn't want to join us anyways. All papertalk,while we have so few players we will be linked to everyone.
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simplesuffolkfarmer1 added 13:08 - Jun 20 In my opinion... An injury free Kirkland would be the commanding type of keeper we have been longing for. Brown certainly has both experience and an edge that our midfield has lacked for some time - we might not want to have a team of players like this but one or two might help us cope with the demands of the Championship (just think what Derry could've added this year); on to many occasions in recent years I have seen powerful teams come rampaging through our midfield that then results in our defence having to fire fight far too often. Coppinger is someone who might not only score goals for us from midfield (which we came to rely on from Norris) but also has a bit more craft than some of our current midfield and at the same time would not be on crazy money. If any of these players genuinely want to come here I am all to happy to see them play for Town, and we must move on from crying over the departure of certain players who ultimately had desires to be elsewhere.

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