IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell has conceded that the club cannot afford Jimmy Bullard’s wages.

The 32-year-old ended up being named Town’s player of the season by his fellow team mates and supporters after scoring five goals in 16 appearances during an impressive end-of-season loan spell from Hull City.

Bullard incidicated soon after the move that, having added new life to a promising career previously stalled by injuries, he would take a pay cut to stay at Portman Road.

However, Jewell says it is still looking like he will be priced out of a move for the one-time England international who still has two years left on a deal worth reportedly �45,000 a week at the KC Stadium.

“I’ve spoken to Adam Pearson (Hull’s director of football) and Jimmy both at length and it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

“We’d love to have kept him. He was great for us and I think we were good for Jimmy, there’s no doubt about that, but after hours of negotiations it’s looking unlikely.

“He’s on a fantastic contract there, it’s not just a Premier League contract, it’s a top Premier league contract. Everybody knows that

“The owners there are not prepared to let him go out on loan again unless it’s a huge contribution to his wages.

“It’s a deal we’d like to do, but sometimes in life, financially, you just can’t do it.

“That’s not a lack of ambition, it’s just being realistic.”

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