IPSWICH target Nicky Forster has not given up hope of playing in the Premiership next season.The striker has quit Reading after snubbing their offer of a 12-month deal and is thought to be Town boss Joe Royle's first choice to plug the gap caused by the recent £3million sale of Darren Bent to Charlton.

IPSWICH target Nicky Forster has not given up hope of playing in the Premiership next season.

The striker has quit Reading after snubbing their offer of a 12-month deal and is thought to be Town boss Joe Royle's first choice to plug the gap caused by the recent £3million sale of Darren Bent to Charlton.

But Forster is apparently in no hurry to commit himself to any of the various Championship clubs - he has also been linked with Burnley, Millwall, QPR, Stoke, Sheffield United and Watford - who are on his trail.

And newly-promoted Wigan could make a move for the 31-year-old marksman.

He said: “I have taken the decision to leave Reading after six years and I have faith in my ability to do a job for a club in the top flight.

“But I will have to wait and see if there are going to be any offers from the Premiership. In some ways it's still early days.”

Forster's comments would appear to suggest that Town and their Championship rivals might have to be patient in waiting for the player to decide his next move.

Newly-promoted Wigan are perhaps the most likely of all the Premiership clubs to take an interest in Forster's availability on a free transfer.

Latics' boss Paul Jewell wanted the ex-Gillingham and Birmingham player before the transfer deadline in March as he sought to increase the competition on his free-scoring front two of Nathan Ellington and Jason Roberts in case they suffered a form slump.

But the move failed to materialise and reports over the weekend indicated that Jewell, yet to dip into the £25million transfer kitty supplied by JJB Stadium owner Dave Whelan, has switched his attention to want-away Watford ace Heidar Helguson.

Should Jewell succeed, the Hornets would be in a good position to lure Forster to Vicarage Road as a replacement for the £1.5m-rated Icelandic star.

But a delay in proceedings might actually suit Ipswich and Royle, since goalkeeper Kelvin Davis appears no further forward in deciding where his own future lies.

Town and Sunderland have agreed a £1.25m price tag for the 28-year-old keeper, who is chewing over an offer to move to the north east.

It had been suggested, although not by Davis himself, that he was reluctant to move away from his native south east and was simply waiting for West Ham to make their move.

But for the money it would cost the Hammers to sign Davis, they are poised to snap up former Manchester United number one Roy Carroll on a free transfer and cover his wages for a season at Upton Park.

Manager Alan Pardew considers that a far better option and Davis may now find that Sunderland impose a deadline on him making up his mind.

He met with Stadium of Light boss Mick McCarthy 12 days ago to discuss a deal and only when he moves on, and Town pocket the cash, can Royle set in motion his own transfer negotiations.

It is an open secret that he rates Forster and would be pleased to snap him up on a two-year deal, by which time teenage pair Darryl Knights and Billy Clarke could have surfaced as first team stars.

Weekend reports also linked Town, again, with Aston Villa reserve

keeper Stefan Postma, who stands 6ft 7in and also interests a number of clubs in his native Holland.