IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell says he ‘hasn’t heard anything’ regarding Aston Villa stepping up their interest in left-back Aaron Cresswell.

The Premier League club’s chief executive, Paul Faulkner, contacted Town counterpart Simon Clegg towards the end of July enquiring about the availability of the 22-year-old following his impressive debut season at Portman Road. Clegg says he ‘discouraged a bid’.

Blues boss Paul Jewell said at the time that he’d had no direct contact from Villa counterpart Paul Lambert regarding the player. He insisted he doesn’t want to sell his best players, but added the caveat that ‘every player has their price’.

Cresswell told the Green’Un last week: “I have three years left on my contract and I want to stay here for the remainder of my contract. Stuff does happen behind closed doors, but I am happy here at Ipswich and that is all there is to it.”

However, with little over a week until the transfer window shuts on permanent deals, social networking website Twitter was rife with speculation that Villa had had a bid accepted for the full-back last night.

Speaking at yesterday’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s away game at early table-toppers Blackpool, Jewell was asked about whether Villa had followed up on their Cresswell enquiry. He said: “I haven’t heard anything’.

The defender is set to travel to a team training session in Stoke today before an overnight stop ahead of the club’s game at Bloomfield Road tomorrow.

The Green’Un understands that it would take a large offer – something in the region of at least �4-5m – for Ipswich to even consider letting go a player who was virtually ever-present in his debut campaign at the club.

The Blues still owe former club Tranmere some money as part of his tribunal-ruled �520,000 switch last summer, while it’s understood the League One club would be owed a significant amount as part of a sell-on clause.

Time would also be running out for Jewell to find a replacement left-back before the window shuts. Back-up options within the squad at present are 18-year-old Joe Whight – who is yet to make his competitive first-team debut – or shifting 31-year-old centre-back Damien Delaney out to a position he hasn’t played in some time.

Meanwhile, the Green’Un understands that St Etienne midfielder Guirane N’Daw passed his medical at Playford Road last night. Town are now awaiting the clearance of paperwork before they can announce the powerful 28-year-old has joined on a season-long loan.

The Senegal international will not travel to the club’s north west base for tomorrow’s game against Blackpool or next Tuesday night’s match against League One side Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup second round.

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