Bullard deal unlikely

IPSWICH Town’s hopes of signing Jimmy Bullard for next season seem very far-fetched.

The inspirational Bullard was crowned Town’s player-of-the-season for 2010-11, despite spending just four months at the club on loan from Hull City.

Town manager Paul Jewell has made no secret of the fact that he would love to sign the 32-year-old midfielder, in his bid to build a promotion-seeking squad for next term.

And Bullard himself revealed earlier in the month that he would be prepared to take a wage-cut to sign for Town.

However, even then it would appear unlikely that Town would be able to afford the player, who still has two years left on his contract at Hull and is on a weekly wage of �45K.

Furthermore, Hull would also be reluctant to loan out Bullard on a similar arrangement next season – that deal, which saw both City and Town share the wage-load, was not warmly received by Tigers fans.

Bullard wants his future to be sorted out in time for pre-season, but as it stands newly-promoted QPR are in a better position to satisfy the player’s financial demands, and Hull’s wishes, rather than Town.

Adam Pearson, Hull’s director of football operations, is desperate to off-load Bullard, although he is sceptical as to whether the player would take a sizeable pay-cut to leave the KC Stadium.

Pearson said: “Jimmy’s wages are obviously very, very high, but no professional footballer takes a pay cut.”

Several clubs are likely to express an interest in Bullard, during the course of this summer, although as yet the Humberside club have received no firm offers.

Town will not break the bank to sign him, especially as Jewell has bigger priorities in the transfer market, namely at least one striker, a holding midfielder and a centre-half.

It would be more likely for Jewell to replace Bullard, and the departing David Norris, with a midfielder who comes with less baggage – Neil Danns, whose contract at Crystal Palace has expired, is one of many players who will be available on free transfers this summer.