BLUES boss Jim Magilton has targeted Denmark international Thomas Sorensen to be his number one keeper for next season.Town tried to sign the Aston Villa keeper in January and will make another attempt to land the 32-year-old this summer.

Derek Davis

BLUES boss Jim Magilton has targeted Denmark international Thomas Sorensen to be his number one keeper for next season.

Town tried to sign the Aston Villa keeper in January and will make another attempt to land the 32-year-old this summer.

Although Sorensen made it clear he wanted to leave Villa Park after losing his place to Scott Carson who arrived from Liverpool, Villa boss Martin O'Neill blocked the move to Portman Road as he did not have cover.

Town quickly signed Stephen Bywater on loan from Derby County with the option to make the deal permanent but have not yet exercised that right.

Although Shane Supple is due to return from SPL side Falkirk, it is unlikely he will be elevated to number one spot at Town next year and the best he can hope for is to go out on loan again.

Carson is expected to move to Villa from Liverpool on a permanent basis and with Stuart Taylor at number two, Sorensen is seeking regular first team football elsewhere.

As well as being a proven international keeper, with 72 caps for Denmark, Sorensen knows what it takes to win promotion after keeping a record 29 clean sheets for Sunderland when they were promoted in 1999.

After more than 200 games for the Mackems, Sorensen joined Villa in a £2m in 2003 and has played 150 games for them but fell out of favour at the beginning of this season, prompting Magilton to make a move for him as a replacement for Neil Alexander who moved to Rangers.

Magilton is also expected to make a move for Leicester City centre half Gareth McAuley and will test Foxes disgruntled owner Milan Mandaric with a £600,000 offer.

Leicester full back Richard Stearman is another defender who Magilton has his eyes on and now that City have been relegated Town could make a double swoop.

Town need replacements at the back for Jason de Vos who has retired and Fabian Wilnis who is going into coaching.

Magilton is this week expected to start his summer clear out and offer contracts to those he wants to stay, and make it clear to others that they are free to leave.

Gary Roberts, Gavin Williams and Dan Harding, are among those who are likely to be told they can find other clubs.

Jaime Peters, who scored for Yeovil in their 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest, has returned to Portman Road to find out what his future holds, with Glovers' boss Russell Slade considering making an offer for the young Canadian.

Matt Richards, who has a year left on his Town contract, has come back from Brighton, who are keen to tie up a deal with the defender.