Tigana's bid for Bent is snubbed

Fulham have failed in a bid to sign striker Marcus Bent from Ipswich after offering the First Division club £2 million plus Barry Hayles.

Jean Tigana's side suffered from a lack of goals last season and the problem has continued in this summer's Intertoto Cup campaign.

The Fulham manager appears to have decided Hayles is not the answer despite him being the club's top goalscorer last season.

But the deal for former Brentford and Crystal Palace player Bent was not enough to tempt Ipswich to sell after paying Blackburn £3m for him last year.

Manager George Burley is understood to be ready to part with the 24-year-old but is looking to cut his wage bill and wants a straight cash deal.

Tigana will now turn his attention elsewhere but Hayles' days at Fulham appear to be numbered. The 30-year-old scored 12 goals for the club last season but was also dogged by on-field disciplinary problems.

The former carpenter only left non-League football five years ago and he feared for his future at the London club when Tigana was made manager.

Hayles cost £2m from Bristol Rovers in 1998 but he slipped down the pecking order last season when Fulham paid £11.5m for France striker Steve Marlet from Lyon.