BLUES boss Jim Magilton will give West Ham until the end of this week before calling time on a Richard Wright switch.

Derek Davis

BLUES boss Jim Magilton will give West Ham until the end of this week before calling time on a Richard Wright switch.

Although extremely keen to bring the former Town favourite back to Portman Road, Magilton is not prepared to wait much longer and has another keeper lined up, who could even join up with the squad in Belfast this week.

Wright has made it clear he would welcome a move back to Ipswich but West Ham are uncertain of the future of their number one Robert Green and so are reluctant to allow the former England keeper to rejoin his old club.

Magilton said: “We are not prepared to wait too much longer. We would like to get something tied up by the end of the week at the latest.

“I will give it a few more days and see how the land lies and I hope a deal can be concluded, if not we will look elsewhere.

“We have to have other irons in the fire and we are constantly on the look out for then right sort. If it is not Richard it will be someone else.

“There is another goalkeeper we are in talks with.”

Town have been linked with a number of keepers during the summer, including Wolfsburg's Simon Jentzsch but that deal is dead. He has wanted to bring back Wright since last year when he chose to go to Upton Park and the Blues boss can understand Alan Curbishley's stance.

Magilton said: “Richard Wright coming back ticks all our boxes. We are a club he knows well and I would like to take him back but it is not ticking West Ham's boxes at the moment, because if they lose a keeper they need a replacement and until they get a replacement, Richard is not going anywhere.

“I totally understand and respect West Ham's position, they do not want to lose a top-class keeper like Richard but if they can get in a replacement it may help, although even then they may turn round and say 'definitely not'. But if they can get someone in and it frees up Richard, then we are in a position to take him.”

Town are hoping they can open talks with Greek striker Angelos Charisteas today after he returns from his summer holidays.

Nuremburg have given Town permission to speak to the 6'4'' striker and things should move on one way or another today.

Magilton added: “We want to know if he is interested and if he is fantastic, we will sit and have a chat, if not we move on to other targets.

“If we can sit round the table and entice him to join to us then great because he is the sort of quality player that can help us.”

Magilton is also waiting to hear from Rudi Skácel, the left-sided player he is hoping to fill the left-back berth.

Magilton said: “Rudi has one or two things to weigh up. The last Czech Republic manager made it a policy that he would not play players playing in the second tier of their respective leagues. Whoever the new manger is Rudi would like a chat and see how it affects him and if it was a possibility that he could come to us and it not affect his international chances, then we would welcome him.

“I understand his reasons because when I left Sheffield Wednesday at 28 and I had a conversation with my international manager so I respect it, it shows the lad's ambition. He is a good player and someone who could take us to the next level.”

Magilton also confirmed his interest in Crewe striker Nicky Maynard who is valued at £2.5m by the Cheshire club, with Ipswich reluctant to go that high for a relatively inexperienced player.

Magilton said; “Nicky Maynard is a very good player and we have had a conversation with his agent but he is under contact at Crewe. If there was an opportunity to take Nicky to our football club I would take it.

“At the minute he is one of many targets and we have not made a firm offer as yet.”

Kevin Lisbie is also high on the list of Town targets but Magilton revealed a move for Shola Ameobi has hit a brick wall.

He added: “We have not heard a dickie bird from him, his agent or Newcastle so I imagine he has gone back to Newcastle.

“I had a conversation with his agent about him as part of the search to bring in the right sort of people who can take us to the next level.”

derek.davis@archant.co.uk