Colchester United striker Kevin Lisbie has revealed that Town have been given permission to speak to him and have approached his agent. The former Charlton man was first linked with the Blues earlier in the summer with the story a persistent rumour amongst Colchester fans during the close season.

Lisbie said: "Ipswich Town have made an approach for me through my representative. There have been talks, but I must stress that it's very early days and it's not very far down the line.

"I'm still very much a Colchester United player and I'm enjoying this week's fitness programme with the rest of the lads at Loughborough University.”

The 29-year-old scored 17 goals for the U's during last year's relegation season and despite previously pledging his future to the League One side looks likely to be on the move this summer.

Barnsley and Burnley recently showed an interest in Lisbie, however, the Hackney-born striker is very keen to remain in the south.

The 5ft 8in tall frontman has two years left on his contract with the U's, but there is a clause in his deal which would allow him to leave, although he says this is not relating to Colchester receiving a £1 million bid: "I have an agreement with Colchester and a £1 million asking price is not it. I have a big family and I don't want to uproot, so I wouldn't want to move far anyway.”

A £500,000 price tag has been reported for the former Norwich loanee who is best known by Town fans for a dive which led to Sito being shown a red card during the Portman Road derby in the 2005/06 season, a dismissal which was overturned on appeal.

During his 12-year spell with Charlton Lisbie also spent time on loan with Gillingham, Reading, QPR and Derby.

Town have been looking for strikers all summer and it increasingly appears that Jim Magilton is looking for two frontmen, one a big man in the mould of Shola Aleobi, Kyle Lafferty or Angelos Charisteas and the second a smaller goal-getter like Lisbie, Nicky Maynard or Emile Mpenza.

Photo: Action Images

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