Town manager Joe Royle has ruled out signing former loan player Alan Mahon from Wigan due to the cost. Mahon, currently out of favour with the Latics, is again being linked with the Blues.

Royle says that a permanent move for Mahon is out of the question at present: "We are getting our finances back in shape, but if Alan's price was £200,000 instead of £2 million at the moment we still could not afford him."

Better news for fans is that Royle says Town's refusal of Charlton's £3 million bid for Darren Bent indicates that the days of cheap departures from Portman Road are over: "There is a price on every player's head, whoever he plays for.

"But we have said since the summer that there will be no more bargain sales out of Portman Road.

"The Premiership transfer window opens again in January and results between now and then will answer everything for us."

Royle is back with his squad after spending a few days away at his holiday home in Majorca.

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