BURNLEY midfielder Dean Marney has emerged as a possible target for Championship rivals Ipswich Town.

Tractor Boys’ boss Paul Jewell is believed to be a fan of the former Hull City enforcer and is plotting an approach.

Clarets manager Eddie Howe would be loath to lose the 27-year-old, who he gave the captain’s armband to towards the end of last season after being impressed by his work-rate, both in training and on matchdays.

But I understand Barking-born Marney may not be against moving closer to his Essex roots after spending four years at Hull and a season at Turf Moor since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2006.

Ipswich, in the adjoining county, would fit that bill, and Town expect to have money to spend having resigned themselves to losing £10million-rated striker Connor Wickham this summer.

They would expect at least a £6m down payment for the 6ft 3ins 18-year-old, with add-ons taking it up to around the £10m mark.

That would give Jewell an enviable warchest with which to rebuild the side, and he has already put plans in place to spend it.