Lee to sign today

By Derek Davis

ALAN Lee will today sign for Ipswich Town in a £150,000 move from Cardiff City.

The EADT understands from sources in the Welsh capital that the 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international travelled up to Suffolk last night and will have a medical this morning.

If all goes to plan he should be unveiled at an afternoon press conference and go straight into the Blues squad, to make his debut against second-from-top Sheffield United on Saturday.

Although the 6ft 2ins striker has had an injury-interrupted spell at Ninian Park, the deal represents good business for Town, who negotiated the move for £50,000 less than City wanted after they paid out £850,000 to Rotherham for the hit-man.

The Bluebirds have just signed Scotland international Steven Thompson from Rangers and Darlington's Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and have been linked with former Manchester City striker Paulo Wanchope, who is currently playing in Qatar.

Blues boss Joe Royle has been tracking Lee since he first spotted him playing for Burnley more than three years ago and the Galway-born striker has often performed well against Town, especially for the Millers.

Lee is understood to have secured a three-and-a-half-year contract at Portman Road after taking a pay cut at Cardiff to gain an extra year on his deal there to take him to the summer of 2008.

The Irishman will be Town's fourth permanent signing since the transfer window opened in January after taking Welsh international Gavin Williams from West Ham for £300,000, Adam Proudlock on a free from Sheffield Wednesday and Norwegian midfielder Vemund Brekke-Skard from Brummendal on a Bosman free.

The debt restructuring with the club's three main lenders means Town will not have to sell any players, although one or two may leave in the transfer window to enhance their own career prospects.