SPURS flop Darren Bent has been unsuccessfully hunted by Premiership hopefuls Ipswich according to club boss Jim Magilton, writes James Randall .

The striker joined the Lily Whites for a record £16.5 million pounds last summer, but has failed to make an impact with rivals Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane on scoring form.

Magilton told the club's official website: "Darren was having a tricky spell at Spurs and we made a cheeky enquiry, We just asked the question."

Ipswich who were bought out in January are rumoured to have a transfer war chest to spend to get the club into the top flight, and they were keen to recruit their former striker.

"We want to bring in players that will raise the bar and Darren would obviously do that, but he's very much in the fold at Tottenham and it's not going to happen," added Magilton.

Bent has appeared 28 times for the north London side, but has netted just six goals. The departure of Jermaine Defoe to Portsmouth in January has appeared to have secured the strikers immediate future.