Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens said that talks to bring Stephen Ireland to the club have been stalled due to his high wage demands.
The former Irish international has been on trial and is in talks with the League One side over a contract ahead of the 2020-21 season.
However, Wellens said that Ireland’s agent had “asked for too much money” which in turn could potentially end the deal.
Swindon, where former Ireland striker Noel Hunt is assistant manager, are preparing for a return to the third tier of English football after being crowned League Two champions.
“Noel Hunt has been dealing with Stephen because he knows him from his Ireland days and stuff like that,” Wellens told the BBC Wiltshire.
“He’s spoken with his agent, the agent asked for too much money originally so I just told Noel to go back with a different offer and see if he can go there.”
The Cork man, who recently turned 34, has not played since appearing for Stoke City against Swansea in the Premier League 2018.
He later had a brief spell with Bolton Wanderers, who were still in the Championship at the time, but left without playing a game amid a financial crisis at the club.
“It has to be in our favour, it has to work both ways,” Wellens said as Swindon look ahead to their new season which kicks-off on September 12th.
“We’re doing him a favour in terms of getting him up and running because I don’t see a massive long queue of clubs willing to take him.
“But also he’ll be doing us a favour because he does have certain qualities that will improve us, so we’ll wait and see.”
Swindon’s League One campaign begins at home to Cork native Brian Barry-Murphy’s Rochdale.
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