Midfielder Grant Leadbitter has confirmed that he has decided not to accept Town’s offer of a new deal. We understand that, as outlined by Blues boss Paul Jewell yesterday, the former Sunderland man, who has been strongly linked with a move to Middlesbrough, did not travel with the rest of the squad to Doncaster for Saturday’s final game of the season and has played his last match for the Blues.

Leadbitter told Sky Sports that he has opted against remaining with the Blues after his current deal is up at the end of June: “I have turned down the offer of a new deal at Ipswich and I will be leaving at the end of the season.

"It was a really tough decision, but I feel I am ready for a new challenge at this stage of my career.

"I never spoke to Ipswich about finances, I just feel the time is right for a new challenge and a new experience.

"I would like to thank the club for bringing me here in the first place and I have had a great three years here.

"The fans have been brilliant and I have a lot of time for Paul Jewell and always got on very well with him and you see how hard he works for the club."

He added: "I have not thought about my future yet I will be going on holidays soon and I will be keeping my options open before I decide where I want to go."

Manager Paul Jewell said: "We have given it our best shot. I have spoken to Grant at length. The owner has as well. It's a big decision for him though. I understand that.

"The longer it has gone on the more I have felt we were going down the lines of him going elsewhere. We wanted him to stay but it's not to be and we wish him well."

In addition to Boro, Brighton and Hove Albion have also been linked. Former captain Leadbitter joined his old Sunderland boss Roy Keane at Portman Road for a fee of £2.65 million in the summer of 2009 and went on to make 120 starts and six sub appearances for the Blues, scoring 14 goals.

Photo: Action Images

Daleyitfc added 17:04 - Apr 27 Phew : had begun to think he was going to stay! The worst choice as captain in the club's history, for which we must blame the man for whom the term 'no brainer' was invented, Paul Jewell.
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TractorBoy666 added 17:04 - Apr 27 Bye.
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hadleighboyblue added 17:06 - Apr 27 well , what a surprise , but of course it's not about money !! another big loss on the ITFC balance sheet though ................but it won't happen again .....didn't we hear that last year though . let's get some hungry players in that look upon Ipswich as a step up , more Cresswells please !
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Special_A added 17:06 - Apr 27 I have had a change of heart.......................... See ya OUT with the OLD.............IN with the NEW Jog on £2.65 million dry lunch
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PSGBlue added 17:08 - Apr 27 Could only be bothered performing once he decided he was leaving Ipswich and needed to impress other managers. Good Riddance to him!
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MathieandMarshall added 17:09 - Apr 27 Good bye Crab man. Hopefully less sideways passing next season. I'd like to build the Drury / Hyam partnership over the summer.
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JustSpivvyChops added 17:12 - Apr 27 Arguably, the worst ever signing by ITFC (cost v performance). Provided absolutely nothing to the team, that couldn't be done by any other member of the club, including the youth set up (except corner taking, which was far worse than any other member of the club could have produced). Came, saw, robbed us, fooked off.................good riddance, will not be missed at all. Thanks again Roy Keane, you total c**t.

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62WasBest added 17:13 - Apr 27 It's a business. He's an employee and like all employees he has to weigh up the pros and cons of staying. Remember - every club now has to budget hard to survive.The question we have to ask is, "Can we get better or as good for less?" I think the answer has to be that we probably can. Next season will see if we do or not.
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peteswindon added 17:14 - Apr 27 What a surprise not, Absolute scum bag. He should have been dropped and moved on in Jan. I really am sick of these gutless individuals that try and pretend that they are interested in staying and thinking about new deals when in fact they have no interest in staying.
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itfc94 added 17:15 - Apr 27 not good enough anyway!
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robdaful added 17:22 - Apr 27 Shame, cost alot and had potential but never seemed bothered to show it. At least we wont have to worry about him wasting a place in the first team.
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Mark added 17:22 - Apr 27 > Arguably, the worst ever signing by ITFC (cost v performance). Third behind Sereni and George I'd say, unless you count Civelli and Le Pen who were unfortunate with injury.
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buryblue77 added 17:22 - Apr 27 Good, the more players we can get rid of who don't want to be here the better, if he doesn't want to play for us then he's better off elsewhere. I always (as many others did) felt he was playing himself into the shop window when he picked up his level in the final part of the season. A big mention has to go out to a certain Roy Keane who pi$$ed plenty of this clubs money up the wall on these players, in excess of £4m wasted on Leadbitter and Priskin who weren't worth a tenth of that figure, combined.

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roytheboy added 17:23 - Apr 27 What a surprise, I'm not particularly bothered, let's move on now we know where we stand.
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aliCOYBmason added 17:23 - Apr 27 Cheers Leadboots!
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wewerefamous added 17:26 - Apr 27 Close the door on your way out son!
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La_Paz added 17:28 - Apr 27 I really hope we finally learn from this. Should have gone last summer when it became obvious he was unlikely to sign. Instead we've wasted a season treading water where another player could have been establishing themselves, and the will he/won't he chirade of the past couple of months has been ridiculous; he has taken everyone for a ride. Overall his time at the club has been a massively expensive disappointment for such an undoubtedly tidy player, and I'm glad that the club can finally move on.

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afrodids added 17:34 - Apr 27 Another big earner off the wage bill! Expensive flop! Cherio! Thanks for 10 half descent games in 3 years! We are heading in the right direction now go and get Boyd from posh. Onwards and upwards blue army! :)
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hairbear added 17:35 - Apr 27 Adios knob'ead
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afrodids added 17:38 - Apr 27 Another big earner off the wage bill! Expensive flop! Cherio! Thanks for 10 half descent games in 3 years! We are heading in the right direction now go and get Boyd from posh. Onwards and upwards blue army! :)
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Michael11 added 17:39 - Apr 27 I'm delighted that he's off. Just annoyed that we didn't drop him from the team two months ago when it was clear he'd go! One of the worst wastes of money in a long time!!
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dawoolah added 17:41 - Apr 27 Waster! Jog on. Overpaid, over priced and under performed. Pity we couldn't have had Jack Colback instead
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itfcsmithlarr added 17:43 - Apr 27 Good riddance
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fourth added 17:49 - Apr 27 I agree with Pocketsout. And lately there has been busy-looking play with very few chances being made and fewer goals. I see it as a great opportunity
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hairbear added 17:56 - Apr 27 Adios knob'ead
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