AARON Mclean admits he would be willing to turn his loan deal with Ipswich into a permanent move away from Hull City if he proves to be a hit at Portman Road.
Mclean became the most high-profile victim of City's January clear-out last week when Steve Bruce let the out-of-favour striker join their Championship rivals for the remainder of the season.
Although the 29-year-old still has 18 months left on his contract, it is understood City will listen to offers at the end of the season to attempt to recoup a slice of the £1.3m paid to Peterborough in January 2011.
Mclean, who was afforded just four league starts under Bruce, will leave talks over his future until the summer, but the striker has left the door open for a fresh start away from the KC Stadium.
"First and foremost I need to come here and do well for Ipswich and do well for myself – that's my main aim," said Mclean, who made his full Ipswich debut in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Cardiff.
"Past that, Ipswich is definitely a club that I would like to join. It's a massive club, I was excited to come here, so there's no reason – if things go well – that I can't stay.
"I've still got another year after this one at Hull. We'll have to see what happens.
"We'll have to see what their situation is, whether they are promoted to the Premier League or are still in the Championship. I'm just going to concentrate on having a good, strong finish to the season and then I'll take it from there."
Despite arriving with a formidable goalscoring record from his time with Peterborough, Mclean has struggled to hit the heights in two years with the Tigers as 80 appearances yielded just 12 goals.
The recruitment of Sone Aluko and Nick Proschwitz reduced him to a peripheral role and despite scoring late in a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday in October, it was his final goal of 2012.
That brought about a mutual need for a loan and even with injury striking down Aluko for up to eight weeks, the Tigers are unable to recall Mclean this month.
Asked where he felt he fitted into Bruce's thoughts, Mclean added: "I don't know. All season he's said I was in his plans, I've been in squads, but I haven't been starting much and that's what I need.
"I could have just sat at home, we're second in the league, and just been content with that.
"I've never been raised like that though. I'm here to work hard and try to prove to people that I'm a good player."
