Striker Darren Bent says that talk of his possible transfer to Charlton last month did start to get to him. The Addicks bid £3 million for the youngster but Town turned it down, reportedly slapping a £5 million price-tag on his head.

Bent told the club site: "It was a difficult time for me.

"Everywhere I looked there was talk of me going to Charlton and everywhere I went people from all angles were asking me if I was leaving Ipswich.

"That was all I seemed to be getting at that stage and I am not pretending it didn't affect me.

"It was harder for me to concentrate on my football but then I got to the stage where I took a look at it and thought to myself 'I'm an Ipswich Town player and I love it at this club', and just got on with it.

"And a lot of people have said to me that I seem to have gone up a gear after Charlton made their offer.

"It's not for me to say but during that period I tried to work even harder in training so that I could stay focussed on my football."

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