BLUES boss Joe Royle has failed in a bid to land Burnley FA Cup hero Mo Camara.The Clarets rejected Town's approach for the 29-year-old Guinea international but Royle may yet make another move for Camara, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

By Derek Davis

BLUES boss Joe Royle has failed in a bid to land Burnley FA Cup hero Mo Camara.

The Clarets rejected Town's approach for the 29-year-old Guinea international but Royle may yet make another move for Camara, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

The Burnley left-back was part of the side which beat Liverpool 1-0 in the FA Cup third round on Tuesday night and said last month that he wanted to stay at Turf Moor.

Talks on a new deal have stalled, after almost a month of wrangling. Camara is aware of Ipswich's interest and is now understood to be considering seeing out his contract.

Town's bid came late last month, when they heard of his possible availability, but Steve Cotterill is operating with a threadbare squad and refused to sanction any move.

The Blues have since taken Danny Karbassiyoon on a loan spell from Arsenal, which has been extended until just before the Football League's transfer window in March.

Camara is a close friend of Blues' defender Drissa Diallo, who turned down a new deal at Burnley in the summer of 2003 so he could sign for Ipswich.

Born in Conkary, Guinea, Camara started his European career at little-known French club Beuvais before joining Troyes.

He spent two spells with Le Havre and Lille before Wolves paid £100,000 for him in 1999.

Although he played an important part in getting them promoted, Camara was used sparingly during their Premiership season and joined Burnley last summer.

He will make his 100th English league appearance on Saturday at Cardiff but, like Diallo, he doesn't score many goals, with his only strike for the Clarets coming in the League Cup victory over Aston Villa in October.

The victorious Cotterill is also fighting to keep England Under-21 international midfielder Richard Chaplow, who has attracted a £1m bid from Premiership strugglers West Bromwich Albion

Meanwhile, Monaco midfielder Jimmy Juan has yet to complete the paperwork on his season-long loan deal and is expected to return to Ipswich this afternoon.

Blues skipper Jim Magilton returns to training today, after struggling with a tight hamstring this week, while Shefki Kuqi has been recovering from ankle and thigh injuries.

Saturday's opponents, Reading will be without the suspended Steve Sidwell and injured top-scorer Dave Kitson. Les Ferdinand is expected to train today after a hamstring pull, while former Colchester United striker Dean Morgan is likely to be on the bench, after recovering from a sore ankle.

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk