IPSWICH Town will have to splash out at least �2m if they are to stand a chance of winning the race to sign Peterborough United attacker, George Boyd.

Town boss Roy Keane wants to bolster the left-side of midfield, which was a problem position for him throughout last season, and Boyd would certainly fit the bill. He can also play as a striker.

Furthermore, the talented 24-year-old is eying up a move away from London Road, following Posh’s relegation to League One and his own recent loan stay at Nottingham Forest.

But the possibility of Town landing the Scottish B international is for the moment an unlikely one, because there will be stiff competition to sign him from rival Championship clubs.

Boyd spent the last two months of last season on loan at promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest, although he struggled to break into Billy Davies’ starting line-up.

He started just three of the last 14 games, suggesting that Forest would be loathe to make the deal a permanent one this summer, although Boyd himself has expressed a wish to sign for the East Midlanders.

When Forest were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Blackpool Boyd took no part in either of the legs.

Derby County and Middlesbrough are also reported to be in the hunt to sign Boyd, while Peterborough’s Director of Football, Barry Fry, wants Boyd to remain at the club.

Fry revealed: “There are clubs interested in signing him, but so far none have offered us enough to make us want to sell him.

“And the chairman, manager and myself are all agreed that George will not be going anywhere, if we don’t receive a bid that matches our valuation of him,” added Fry.

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan revealed his interest in Boyd last month, having already had an earlier bid turned down during the January transfer window, while Fry himself has confirmed that both Ipswich and Derby have made inquiries about the player, who still has a year left on his contract at London Road.

Boyd was one of several players plucked out of non-league by former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson.

He was snapped up for a bargain �265,000 from Stevenage Borough in January, 2007.

He negotiated the step up to League football with ease, operating either on the left flank, as a striker or in the hole behind the front two.

In addition to helping Posh to successive promotions into the Championship, he also broke the club record for consecutive appearances, which had stood at 124.

He went on to rattle up 144 successive appearances, of which the 143rd was the 3-1 home win over Town on February 16, before missing the Swansea match at the end of that month due to sickness.

He signed on loan to Forest just a few days later.