CHAMPIONS' League winner Iván Campo was today due to hold preliminary talks about joining Ipswich Town.

Derek Davis

CHAMPIONS' League winner Iván Campo was today due to hold preliminary talks about joining Ipswich Town.

The former Real Madrid defender saw Ipswich Town's 5-3 loss at home to West Ham from the directors' box.

The 34-year-old is unattached after not being offered a new deal by Gary Megson at Bolton Wanderers.

Campo sat with his agent during last night's game.

The agent also represents Pablo Counago, who yesterday signed a new three-year deal with Ipswich along with Owen Garvan.

Although mainly used as a defensive midfielder in the Premier League, Campo started his career at Deportiva Alaves as a centre half and could be just the type of player Jim Magilton is coveting for his back four judging by last night's display.

Blues boss Jim Magilton said: “We will sit down with Iván and have a chat. We will show him around and we will see if he likes us and we like him and go from there. It is early days just now.”

Hull City have recently tried to lure the 6ft 1in player and he has considered a move back to Spain and Real Socidead, where he would be near his parents' home.

Campo won four full caps for Spain and was part of their World Cup squad in France 1998 and in the same year signed for Real Madrid from Real Mallorca.

He made 60 La Liga appearances and played his part in their Champions' League success before being loaned for a year to Bolton, where he then signed a three-year deal rather than return to the Spanish capital.

Veliche Shumulikoski, Owen Garvan and Alan scored for Town, while a Dean Ashton hat-trick, and a goal each Craig Bellamy and Mark Noble each netted for West Ham.

Magilton said: “It was a steep learning curve especially for Tommy Smith and Pim Balkestein.

“We were caught like rabbits in the headlights for the first ten minutes, but some of our football was excellent. We are very good with the ball, that's not the problem.”

Magilton's hopes of getting Danny Simpson back on loan were finally dashed when the Manchester United youngster joined Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan.

Town's chances of landing David Nugent in the short term still look slim as the striker has once again made it clear he intends to fight for his place at Portsmouth and has no desire to drop down a division.

Magilton has said he would be interested in taking the one-time England international, but he may have to wait until Nugent realises he is not part of Harry Redknapp's plans, other than to recoup some cash form his sale to finance other transfer deals.