UEFA CUP contenders Ipswich Town are set to win the chase for Tommy Miller after Hartlepool United started a summer bidding war for the £1m-rated hot-shot.

Pool yesterday opened the door for clubs to make their move after the 22-year-old declined the club's offer to extend his contract that has another 12 months to run.

Wigan have been long-term admirers, but Coventry and Crewe are ready to contest Ipswich boss George Burley after having bids accepted by Pool last night.

Crewe chief Dario Gradi was yesterday claiming he would have a new midfielder in place over the weekend - with Miller the target.

Sky Blues' boss Gordon Strachan is firm friends with Pool chief Chris Turner from their days at Manchester United and has been keeping tabs on Miller for 18 months.

Northern Echo Sport revealed Ipswich's interest last month and Sheepshanks was in touch with his Pool counterpart Ken Hodcroft on Thursday with a written bid now lodged.

And even though Ipswich manager Burley is on holiday in Spain, he has kept in regular contact with his chairman David Sheepshanks - and urged him to secure Miller's services for his return tomorrow night.

Miller, who is poised to open talks with the interested parties today, said: "Every player wants to play at the highest level they can and after two great seasons here I think that now is the time to test myself at a higher level.

"I know that other clubs are interested in me, but I would only want to make a move to the right type of club.''

Pool boss Chris Turner is planning for the coming season expecting to be without his free-scoring midfielder and is hoping to have a trio of signings in the bag over the weekend.

"There has been plenty of interest in him, now we want to see what comes from the next stage,'' admitted Turner.

"We are not saying we are desperate to sell him or want to sell him, there is nothing underhand about it. It is there in black and white - Tommy wants the chance to play at a higher level and as a club we have to look at the financial aspect of it.

"Do we accept money for him now or make him wait a year when he could walk away for nothing? There might not even be a transfer system this time next year.

"No-one can say we are a selling club because one player might be moving on - we could have sold him last year for a lot of money to Wigan but we refused because we are an ambitious club.

"Of course we will be disappointed if and when Tommy leaves, but as a club we can be very proud of the part we have played in making him the player he is.

"We won't be selling him on the cheap or to anyone in our division for the sake of it and we aren't cashing in on him.

"He will only move to the right club in the right division if it is a good deal for us and a good move for Tommy.''

Defender Graeme Lee yesterday signed a new contract to keep him at Victoria Park and after an injury-ravaged season, Turner said: "It's like signing a new player.''

The Pool chief is confident three new faces will shortly be joining the ranks. "We've agreed terms and the players want to come here,'' said Turner. "They are players I've been chasing all summer and it takes time to tie up this type of player - other clubs have been interested in them.

"We have had to be patient, I know some fans have been saying 'We haven't signed anyone' but at the start of the summer we allowed nine players to leave and said we would bring in three or four quality players from a higher level.''

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