Quinton Fortune's agent has confirmed that Town and Birmingham City have invited his player for trials during pre-season. The South African is a free agent having left Belgian side AFC Tubize at the end of the season.

Fortune's representative Hayden Evans confirmed the widespread recent reports linking the 32-year-old with the tryouts: "Birmingham and Ipswich have invited Quinton to train with them so they can both have a look at him. Quinton is looking for a new club and he would be keen on returning to England."

Evans has also confirmed that Hull City are interested in the former Manchester United man, who these days tends to play at left-back.

Fortune's trial backs up Town manager Roy Keane's recent comments stating that he would be looking at signing players he is already familiar with, an intention that he has reiterated today: "It is important to know about a player's personality and their character.

"I am majoring on those I have played with or against, and those I have managed and seen in opposition from the dug-out.

"We have some talented players here already and I have already confirmed that they will all get a pre-season chance to shine. But we need a bit more to have a chance of getting out of the Championship.”

Keane has said on a number of occasions that he is looking for around four new signings during the close season.

Town have been linked with innumerable players from Keane's time at Sunderland including young midfielders Conor Hourihane and Jordan Henderson, who are more likely to be loan targets, as well as the more experienced Carlos Edwards, Nyron Nosworthy, David Healy, Dean Whitehead, Daryl Murphy and Paul McShane.

In addition to Fortune, winger Lee Martin, who Keane will know well from his time at Manchester United, is claimed to be on the Town manager's wish-list, while Paul Hartley, a team-mate of Keane's from Celtic, has also been linked, but is reportedly on his way to Iraklis in Greece.

Left-backs Damien Delaney from QPR and Joe Mattock from Leicester are said to be interesting the Blues will both be well known to first team coach Tony Loughlan from his spell working at the Foxes' academy.

Meanwhile, former Blue Hermann Hreidarsson has signed a new one-year contract with Portsmouth.

Cardiff have accepted a £5 million bid from Birmingham for central defender Roger Johnson. Town made an enquiry regarding the ex-Wycombe player last summer before signing Gareth McAuley but didn't get as far as making a bid.

Elsewhere, former Town defender Aidan Collins has left Ryman League side Maldon Town to take a year off football. The centre-half left the Blues in 2007 when he retired from professional football at the age of 20 due to recurring knee problems.

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