Speaking to the Official Club Website, manager Joe Royle said : "I took a phone call from Peter Reid at Leeds about Marcus on Sunday but they look to have signed a French lad so that route is closed and Middlesbrough made a tentative enquiry but no more than that.
"Leicester have been in for Marcus and he's talking to them today about a season long loan.
"I'll be sad to see Marcus go, if he goes, but our financial situation has been well documented and we needed to ease the wage bill to enable us to bring in someone on loan ourselves."
The signs seems to suggest that Ipswich cannot afford to pay Marcus Bent, after all, why would they be loaning him out for a season when they could keep him, and use him, or perhaps get a fee for him which will help things with bringing other players in?