RICHARD Wright's protracted move to Ipswich Town will be finalised today.

Derek Davis

RICHARD Wright's protracted move to Ipswich Town will be finalised today.

The former Arsenal, Everton and England keeper has successfully completed a medical and terms have been agreed so he should sign the new deal, understood to be for three years, this morning.

Although a couple of loose ends are still to be tidied up Blues boss Jim Magilton expects the deal to finally go through.

Magilton said: “We are very, very close. Everything is done and dusted as far as we are concerned. We are waiting on the West Ham end now.

“Richard has passed a medical so everything is at the late stages.”

Wright returns to his home town club seven years after departing for Highbury in a £6m move.

Wright had been a key part of Town's successful Premiership promotion campaign in 2000 and in their fifth place finish in the first season back winning a UEFA Cup spot.

Although he had already made his England debut and was expected to be David Seaman's successor at both club and country things never worked out and he switched to Everton in 2002, where he was plagued by injury.

Magilton tried to sign the 29-year-old last summer but he chose West Ham instead where he spent the season on the bench before a loan move to Southampton.

Wright's capture follows the arrival of Kevin Lisbie from Colchester United in a £600,000 switch, with Ben Thatcher possibly becoming the third.

Magilton plans to hold talks with Thatcher who is a free agent after leaving Charlton but other clubs are also sniffing around.

Although Lisbie's three-year switch is all done and dusted he won't be involved in the friendly games at either Gillingham or Tiptree this week and instead will be working with fitness coach Simon Thadani.

Magilton said: “Kevin is a natural goal-scorer who comes alive in the box. He gives me options who I pair up front and adds competition.

“There is nothing like the spectre of another striker looming to get them going and both did well and scored.

“Whoever is playing well and scoring, the others will have to sit and wait their chance.”

While Lisbie will battle it out with Pablo Counago and Alan Lee up front Jordan Rhodes is also knocking on the door and Magilton will not send him out on loan just yet, with Brighton, Yeovil and Northampton among the clubs keen to take him.

He said: “There is a possibility that we may do at some point but I like having Jordan around. He has had a good pre-season and looked lively. He has not had the goals his all round game suggest he should have.

“I like the thought of having Jordan here rather than getting him out.

“Perhaps at the end of September, or near the loan deadline, I may consider it then.”

derek.davis@archant.co.uk