On-loan Town keeper Matteo Sereni's financial dispute with former club Sampdoria is finally over. The Genoa club were ordered to pay Sereni €700,000 (£500,000) by an industrial tribunal at a hearing last week.

The row was over cash Sereni claimed was payable as a settlement on the remaining three years of his Sampdoria contract when he joined Town in the summer of 2001.

Samp apparently agreed a figure but then paid him only a single €500,000 (£350,000) instalment, leading to the keeper taking legal action.

Reports in Italy suggest the outcome of the case could put an end to suggestions of Sereni rejoining his former side, although a leading player in the dispute, Enrico Mantovani, is no longer the club's president.

Sereni's loan side Brescia are also looking increasingly unlikely to be able to sign him permanently. Club director general Gianluca Nani says the keeper's demands are out of their reach: "Sereni's wages are too expensive in the new situation football is in."

However, they are seeking further talks to try to come to an agreement. Rome side Lazio have also been linked with the 28-year-old stopper.

Town are very keen to get Sereni off their books before his loan contract at Brescia is up on June 30th. They have told him to return for pre-season training - something he is less than keen to do - but want to avoid having to pay his wages, now by far the highest of any Town player.

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