PAUL Jewell has not given up hope of signing Daryl Murphy just yet.

The Ipswich Town boss is keen to sign the versatile winger/forward permanently following his season-long loan spell from Celtic, while the Scottish champions are happy to let him go after he played no part in their championship winning campaign.

Jewell conceded recently that the Irishman may be out of Town’s price range, however, the EADT understands that all parties are still trying to thrash out a deal.

We understand that Ipswich have been quoted a �300,000 transfer fee, while the former Sunderland man – who still has another year left on his current deal – would also have to accept a significant pay cut to return to Portman Road.

Waterford-born Murphy fulfilled a ‘boyhood dream’ by joining the Hoops in the summer of 2010, however, he ended up making just nine starts in his debut season.

And with the prolific Gary Hooper, target man Anthony Stokes, promising teenager James Forrest and converted left-winger Georgios Samaras all ahead of him in the pecking order, Bhoys boss Neil Lennon will be keen to offload the nine-cap Republic of Ireland international from the wage bill.

Murphy started all but one of the Blues’ final 31 games of the season just gone, mainly playing on the left wing but also providing a different type of threat up front when Town switched tactics. He scored four goals and provided three assists.

Jewell said recently that he wants ‘big, strong and athletic’ players in his team next season. And it was Murphy’s physical presence which saw him given the nod over direct-running Josh Carson for much of the campaign just gone.

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