ALAN Mahon will be lining up at Portman Road on Saturday - if Paul Jewell gets his way.The Wigan Athletic boss is hoping to sign the Blackburn Rovers left-winger this week now that the transfer window for Premiership clubs has closed.

ALAN Mahon will be lining up at Portman Road on Saturday - if Paul Jewell gets his way, writes Derek Davis.

The Wigan Athletic boss is hoping to sign the Blackburn Rovers left-winger this week now that the transfer window for Premiership clubs has closed.

Rovers are believed to be willing to accept a £750,000 bid for the Irishman who delighted Ipswich Town fans during his loan spell, which ended prematurely after Graeme Souness recalled him two weeks before it was due to expire.

The signing of Jon Stead for an initial £750,000 from Huddersfield yesterday will prompt a number of clubs to try again for Rovers striker Matt Jensen, although Blues boss Joe Royle last night insisted Ipswich would not be one of them.

Although a number of moves involving Premiership clubs went ahead just before the 5pm deadline last night, Royle revealed none helped his cause in bringing in a couple of loan players.

That., though, won't necessarily stop him trying.

Royle said: “Nothing that happened in the Premiership transfers made any difference to us. But that was not the only factor and things could still happen. I was on the phone again to a couple of people but we are still nowhere near bringing someone in at the moment - but you never know how quickly that can change.

“It may even be a couple of weeks but we will keep badgering away.”

Of more pressing concern are injuries to Fabian Wilnis, Georges Santos, Chris Bart-Williams, John McGreal and Tommy Miller.

Wilnis has a 'frozen shoulder and is rated at doubtful, while Miller is struggling with a recurrence of a thigh strain.

Bart-Williams is still struggling with a back problem and won't train until Thursday while McGreal also has a back problem.

Santos has stud marks on his shin after trying to prevent Stephen Warnock from scoring on Saturday but is unlikely to allow that to stop him training and playing.

n Ipswich Town's clash at Norwich City on March 7 is a sell out with a capacity 24,300 crowd expected as the new stand at Carrow Road is fully opened.