FRANICIS Jeffers will become Ipswich Town's highest-paid current player if he signs for them after being offered even better terms.The Blues have also made a third and final offer, understood to be in the region of £700,000, to Blackburn Roves for the former Arsenal and Everton striker as they continue to strive to secure a deal.

By Derek Davis

FRANICIS Jeffers will become Ipswich Town's highest-paid current player if he signs for them after being offered even better terms.

The Blues have also made a third and final offer, understood to be in the region of £700,000, to Blackburn Roves for the former Arsenal and Everton striker as they continue to strive to secure a deal.

The Premiership outfit have been holding out for £1million but Ipswich have reached their limit with both player and club.

With Blackburn's permission, Town have been negotiating with Jeffers in tandem with the talks being held with Ewood Road boss John Williams and while the player has told manager Jim Magilton Ipswich are the only Championship club he would join, his expectations on personal terms are high.

Sheepshanks last night told the EADT: “We have now made a third increased offer to Blackburn but we can't go so far that it prejudices anything else we want to do. Nor can we drive a coach and horses through our wage structure.

“We have offered Francis a handsome deal in accordance with his status as a top player.”

Although Ipswich's finances have been bolstered by the Darren Bent windfall - with around £835,000 coming from the first instalment - the Jeffers transfer fee and wages will eat up most of that and following payments.

Sheepshanks added: “We are trying our utmost to get Francis within the realness of affordability and sensibility.”

The Blues chairman hopes to receive a positive answer within the next 24 hours - if not then they could move for Pablo Counago.

He added: “Francis has always been our No. 1 objective but if we need to move on we will and Ipswich fans should rest assured that we will land a player.” Jeffers impressed manager Jim Magilton with four goals in nine games during an injury-interrupted loan spell.

The Blues were initially led to believe Jeffers, who has one year left on his Blackburn contract, was available on a free transfer, or a minimal fee. When told he would cost £1m they offered around £350,000, then upped the offer to almost £600,000 and have now made a third bid of around £700,000.

Jeffers arrived at Blackburn on a free from Charlton, who in turn had paid Arsenal £2.6m.

derek.davis@archant.co.uk