DESPITE all the players being briefly put up for sale on an internet site, Ipswich Town have still just managed to sell one - and that was by more conventional means, writes Derek Davis.

DESPITE all the players being briefly put up for sale on an internet site, Ipswich Town have still just managed to sell one - and that was by more conventional means, writes Derek Davis.

Darren Bent's £2.5m move to Charlton has been the only incoming transfer money so far, with Kelvin Davis' proposed move to Sunderland still in abeyance, nearly a week after Town accepted a £750,000 bid for him.

A mischievous and disgruntled Blues fan put the entire squad on a famous on-line auction site, with bids starting at 99p, but the 'item' was removed when it was realised the offer was not serious, or authorised - and less than £3 had been offered anyway.

The Davis transfer could still materialise, even if the Black Cats are not successful, and Town are likely to be without six players from last season come July 4 when the squad reconvenes for pre-season training.

West Ham are reportedly keen on Davis and the keeper may prefer a move to the London club.

Tommy Miller and Shefki Kuqi are Premiership targets, while Drissa Diallo and Pablo Counago were released last month.

Jim Magilton is likely to stay, unless a good player/coach job is offered to the out-of-contract skipper, while Fabian Wilnis has always said he wants to stay, telling the EADT that in April.

Wilnis was particularly hurt by the play-off defeat to West Ham and didn't even know how the Londoners got on in the final until told some days later.

“It will take me time to recover. I wanted to get right away from football,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sunderland finalised their deal with Waterford to sign striker Daryl Murphy for £100,000, once more getting one over on Ipswich, who had been keen on signing the Irish Under-21 international.

Another talked-about Joe Royle target, Heidar Helguson, looks to be well out of Town's price range, with Watford yesterday turning down an offer believed to be around £1m from Sheffield United for the Icelander.