Former loanee Jimmy Bullard is set to undergo a medical at Portman Road as he closes in on a return to the Blues. Boss Paul Jewell moved quickly to try to bring the 32-year-old back to the club as soon as news that Hull City were terminating his contract broke last week.

As reported earlier, owner Marcus Evans was at the club today, presumably to hold talks regarding Town's ongoing transfer targets, including Bullard and defender Ibrahima Sonko. The Blues appear to have fought off competition from QPR - whose move for Newcastle's Joey Barton may have seen their interest in Bullard wane - and Portsmouth to land the one-time England call-up.

In a perhaps not unrelated move, manager Paul Jewell's morning pre-match press conference has been moved back an hour with Bullard and his agent Simon Dent understood to be at the club this evening.

Bullard enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell with Town during the final few months of last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award as he scored five goals in 16 appearances.

Town were keen to sign the midfielder on a permanent basis at the end of the campaign, but with two years remaining on his £45,000-a-week contract at the KC Stadium, manager Paul Jewell admitted that it would be a difficult deal for the club to negotiate with the Tigers.

Bullard, who cost the East Yorkshire club £5 million when he signed from Fulham in 2009, is understood to have held talks with Premier League QPR but with Rangers also unable to agree a deal with Hull.

The former Wigan and Peterborough man rejoined Hull for pre-season training but was suspended for a still undisclosed disciplinary incident on their pre-season training trip to Slovenia. After an internal enquiry, the Tigers terminated his contract last week.

Town desperately need a midfield playmaker and confirmation of the return of one of the club's most successful ever loanees would greatly improve the overall mood amongst supporters.

Photo: Action Images

JoshTheLad added 19:35 - Aug 24 YESSS !!! WE LOVE YOU BULLARD!
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Burwell_Blue added 19:35 - Aug 24 Get in!
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SamWhiteUK added 19:35 - Aug 24 Good. CBs now.
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sohamblue added 19:36 - Aug 24 yes please
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Manchesterblue added 19:36 - Aug 24 OHHHH JIMMY BULLARD YOU ARE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
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howdonblue added 19:37 - Aug 24 ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jjjjjjjjjiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy bbbbbbbbbbbuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrddddddddddddd
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TractorBeezer added 19:37 - Aug 24 Premier here we come!
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Bleedingblue added 19:37 - Aug 24 You Beauty!
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simoitfc added 19:39 - Aug 24 e i e i e i o up the football league we go
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MathieandMarshall added 19:41 - Aug 24 Cannot be any more excited by this. Want to see him holding up the shirt at a press conference before I believe it's true!
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 19:41 - Aug 24 Who says yes for jimmy to be club captain. Yesssss!!!
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 19:42 - Aug 24 Who says yes for jimmy to be club captain. Yesssss!!!
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Ely_Blue added 19:42 - Aug 24 Well as much as I never ever thought that this would happen I am delighted, we shouldn't however expect miracles straight away as he will be a couple of weeks behind the rest in terms of fitness etc
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das_bones added 19:43 - Aug 24 Now this could be very interesting!!!!!! COYB
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Lightningboy added 19:43 - Aug 24 Nice one Marcus..let's hope he's as succesful as he was in his loan spell. Now give him Leadbitter's no.6 shirt.
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del45 added 19:45 - Aug 24 Great news, now our season starts also with new CB.
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cornishnick added 19:45 - Aug 24 This will be the make or break of PJ. Hope we haven't smashed our wage structure for him.
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ITFC_Pullen added 19:45 - Aug 24 YES! JIMMY! :D
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sharvey22 added 19:46 - Aug 24 can't believe this is really true, great news!!
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RetroBlue added 19:47 - Aug 24 FAO MR MARCUS EVANS: THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU THANK YOU ...THANK YOU....THANK YOU...THANK YOU

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s6blue added 19:48 - Aug 24 jimmy jimmy jimmy
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SWBlue86 added 19:49 - Aug 24 What a result! Come on you blues!
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Joe01 added 19:50 - Aug 24 Big, big smiles on reading this. Suddenly I like our management, love our captain Jimmy Bullard Happy days :-)
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steed added 19:52 - Aug 24 makes you wonder what other players evans was talking terms with today
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TractorMan added 19:53 - Aug 24 Yes! :)
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