Birmingham owner David Sullivan has said he was baffled by Marcus Bent's decision last weekend to stay at Town rather than move to the Midlands club. Town agreed to a three-month loan but the player turned it down.

Sullivan said: "It was all sorted out with Ipswich but the player said 'no', which I found a bit strange.

"Had he come here and scored goals, then we'd have been looking to take him permanently at Christmas. It was a big chance for him."

Birmingham also failed to sign another player before the deadline, Ferdinand Coly, a defender who plays for Lens in France.

With Town still keen to reduce the wage bill it seems likely that the winter transfer window will see more offers accepted at Portman Road.

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