IPSWICH Town look to have missed out on signing Southampton defender Rudi Skácel.

Derek Davis

IPSWICH Town look to have missed out on signing Southampton defender Rudi Skácel.

It appears the Czech Republic international has failed to agree personal terms with the Blues and will continue to explore his other options with Stoke City understood to be interested, while clubs in Germany have also been tracking his situation.

Southampton had agreed to allow Skácel to talk to Town and he had been shown around the Blues set up but his wage demands and length of contract have proved a problem.

Skácel is on around £12,000 a-week at St Mary's, which is why they are keen to get him off the wage bill, and it is though Hertha Berlin where he played on loan earlier this year, have made him an offer higher than that, which he also turned down.

Town boss Jim Magilton is finding it frustratingly difficult to bring in new players with his bid to sign keeper Richard Wright hitting a stumbling block as West Ham are in no hurry to let him leave.

There is also slow progress in the attempt to sign Greek striker Angelos Charisteas from Nuremburg, even though the German club have given them permission to speak to the player but he has been on holiday and difficult to pin down.