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In a remarkable turnaround for a player not known for unprofessionalism, Marcus Bent failed to turn up for his medical at Cardiff amidst reports linking him with the blue shirt of Birmingham.

Charlton-owned Bent - who spent last season with Wigan and is a big fan of the colour blue, it seems - was all set to join the Welsh side after the two Championship clubs agreed a £1.5 million fee, but he got cold feet when he realised Alex McLeish's side were keen.

"Shortly before Marcus Bent was due to arrive for his medical and complete his move... we were informed that he had changed his mind and asked Charlton permission to speak to Birmingham City," Cardiff said.

Bent, 30, scored seven goals before Christmas after joining Wigan on deadline day last season, but he failed to hit the back of the net in 2008 and Latics boss Steve Bruce decided he wasn't quite up to the Premier League.

Despite Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson deeming him not good enough for League One, outcast Posh shot-stopper Mark Tyler could wangle himself a move up the divisions as Norwich City seek back-up for Craig Marshall.

The Norwich-born 31-year-old was at the Canaries as a schoolboy but made his name with Peterborough, where he has spent a whopping 14 years and established himself as one of the top keepers in the lower divisions.

But the arrival of highly-rated youngster Joe Lewis put paid to that, and led Tyler to spend time on loan at Hull last season.

"Norwich are a good club and at this stage of my career it would be great if it could happen," Tyler told the Eastern Daily Press. "I still want to be the number-one goalkeeper but if I had the chance to go to a Championship club I would bite their hands off. I'd love to come back to Norwich."

Watford hulk Danny Shittu, meanwhile, shed light on the breakdown of his move to Rangers.

The Glasgow giants claimed he wanted too much money, but the Nigeria defender insisted that it was them who reneged on agreed terms.

"I was prepared to join Rangers," Shittu told the Daily Record.

"They put a proposal on the table which was acceptable but, when the contract was put in writing, the deal had changed. That is where the breakdown in the talks came about."

The former QPR man is still keen on a move north of the border, though. Could it have anything to do with the culinary delights? TT is a big fan of the Glasgow "munchy" box - where a pizza container is filled with kebab meat, Indian takeaway, fried chicken, chips, ketchup and coleslaw. Burp.

Smurf look-a-like John Oster could join Derby County from fellow drop-boys Reading.

The baby-faced 29-year-old Wales winger is training with the Rams after his deal at the Madjeski expired. Oster has also played for Everton and Sunderland.

The best of the rest includes a possible move for celebrity Tourette's sufferer Ben Thatcher to Ipswich following his release by Charlton, while former Tractor Boys midfielder Jermaine Wright is on his way to Blackpool.

And Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson is tipped for a £1.5 million transfer to Birmingham, as angry Palace chairman Simon Jordan looks to soften the financial blow of losing John Bostock to Spurs for a measly, tribunal-set £700,000.

Reda Maher / Eurosport