CRYSTAL Palace boss Steve Bruce has confirmed his interest in Ipswich striker Richard Naylor.And Town were once again linked with Chelsea attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen as the player's agent revealed there had been approaches from Portman Road.

By Mel Henderson

CRYSTAL Palace boss Steve Bruce today confirmed his interest in Ipswich striker Richard Naylor.

And Town were once again linked with Chelsea attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen as the player's agent revealed there had been approaches from Portman Road.

It could lead to Ipswich unloading Naylor and Jamie Clapham, another player frustrated at not being a regular choice, to help fund a record swoop for the Icelandic international.

Palace are stepping up their striker search after an injury to Scotland star Dougie Freedman ruled him out of tomorrow's derby clash with Wimbledon at Selhurst Park.

And 24-year-old Naylor is high on Bruce's list of potential signings, as exclusively revealed in the Star on Tuesday.

The Palace boss admitted: "Yes, Richard is a player I like and yes, we have been watching him, but there is nothing happening at the moment.

"I first made my interest in Richard known when I was at Huddersfield and I sold Marcus Stewart to Ipswich. I was interested in Richard coming the other way and spoke to George Burley then.

Reluctant

"There has been no formal inquiry yet. He is just one of a group of strikers I am looking at."

Middlesbrough reserve Andy Campbell remains Bruce's number one choice. He failed a medical in the summer but has since undergone an ankle operation and is now close to a return to action.

Meanwhile, agent Olafur Gardasson has told Icelandic TV that Ipswich are one of several Premiership clubs to have expressed an interest in Gudjohnsen.

Gardasson also represents Town defender Hermann Hreidarsson and a host of other big-name stars.

Town have been on Gudjohnsen's trail since his time at Bolton and would probably find Chelsea reluctant to part with the highly-rated goal ace.

Although he is not a regular choice – he has only started one Premiership game this season – the Icelandic star has netted four times in three UEFA Cup and Worthington Cup appearances.

n Town boss George Burley's destination last weekend, when he went abroad on a scouting mission, is no longer a secret. The Evening Star can reveal that he attended the World Cup qualifier between Sweden and Azerbaijan in Stockholm that resulted in a 3-0 win for the home side.