MORITZ Volz is ready to pull the plug on any move to Ipswich Town and switch to a continental club.

Derek Davis

MORITZ Volz is ready to pull the plug on any move to Ipswich Town and switch to a continental club.

The German defender is looking to ply his trade in the top flight and is considering offers from French and German clubs.

Although Fulham accepted a bid from Ipswich last week for the former Schalke 04 and Arsenal defender, they have been unable to convince him to join their promotion push.

We first revealed Town's interest in the Fulham full back in January and now understand Volz is waiting to see if a Premier League club firms up their interest or return to Germany, or go to France.

Sunderland, who are close to completing a deal for Volz's team-mate David Healy, are believed to be among the contenders as Town boss Jim Magilton faces a battle to convince the 25-year-old to drop down to the Championship.

Volz has already rejected the chance to join his old boss Chris Coleman at Coventry City, while west London neighbours QPR have also been showing an interest.

Fellow Fulham full-back Chris Baird is also available with Roy Hodgson making it clear both have no future at the Cottage but Magilton has yet to make a move for the Northern Ireland defender.

Magilton was due to watch Baird last night the Irish played Scotland in a friendly with his skipper Gareth McAuley in the heart of Ireland's defence.

Although David Wright has returned to light training after turning an ankle, Magilton is keen to secure another full back and maybe another centre half, a striker and a left-sided midfielder.

Although the Blues are looking to resurrect some sort of deal for Shola Ameobi, and Newcastle desperate to get him off their wage bill, he will not be fit for another month or so after picking up a hamstring injury in a pre-season friendly against Hertha Berlin.

Magilton may starting looking elsewhere again, with Celtic's Chris Killen one possibility, while Spanish striker Jose Emilio Guerra who recently switched from Barcelona B to Athletic B after a bust-up with the Barca coach Luis Enrique, is a striker Magilton admires.

With Healy bound for the Stadium of Light, another striker previously linked with Town is heading for Reading with Irish player of the year David Mooney making the switch from Cork City.