Stoke City are again reported to be weighing up a move for Town skipper Jon Walters. The Potters were strongly linked with the 26-year-old in August 2008 but despite making an enquiry and reports claiming multiple bids, no offer was ever made.

Peter Reid, Stoke’s assistant manager, was at Portman Road on Sunday to watch the Republic of Ireland B international in action, having been at St James' Park for the Newcastle match the previous week, with a £4 million bid said to be in the offing.

Walters, who is contracted to the Blues until 2012, became Town’s skipper earlier in the season with manager Roy Keane a big fan.

Last week Keane hinted that the club might have received some interest in the former Bolton and Blackburn trainee: “I think Jon Walters has been amazing this year, his captaincy has been excellent and he’s been a joy to work with - his leadership skills in the dressing room when we were under the cosh and last weekend, aside from his goal, he was outstanding.

“There will be plenty of clubs — there are already — who would be keen to take Jon Walters.

”I’m not going to kid myself that I’ll just be bringing players in, I’m going to have hard work keeping some of our players.”

Town signed Walters for £100,000 plus extras which would ultimately take the deal to £200,000 from Chester City in January 2007. Chester would have been entitled to 20% of any sell-on had the club not gone out of business earlier in the season.

Photo: Action Images

newburyblue added 16:26 - May 4 Maybe Keane was bigging him up last week as he knew there were teams sniffing around. Say how amazing he is and the price rises by a few million!!! Maybe he's not as dumb as we all think...?!?
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ITFCed added 16:26 - May 4 Well said Blue Knight
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Vic added 16:30 - May 4 http://www.twtd.co.uk/news.php?storyid=16399 Have a read of this and I think we can rest comfortable knowing that JW will not be going anywhere just yet!
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Seasider added 16:39 - May 4 He would fit in well at Stoke,a team I have never liked.Walters is nothing special but worry is that RK wants to make us like them if his recent comments are anything to go by.Keane is turning us into a poor team that play crap football just like Stoke;so I expect he will want to hang onto Jon who runs for 90 mins(like a headless chicken sometimes)but has little effect on game.Hope he goes instead of Connor as there is a player with potential.

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ITFC_Forever added 16:53 - May 4 I'll drive him there for a 100th of the price.
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PeekFreans added 16:56 - May 4 £4m for Walters? Take it.
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bleedblue added 17:06 - May 4 I would agree with the majority, this would be good business. £4mil is a good price for JW, who has not been at his best the past 18 months.
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TrueBlue91 added 17:27 - May 4 I think Id rather see walters go for 4million than Wickham for 5! Walters has been a great servant, but with that kind of money i think we'd benefit more from 2/3 decent players i.e a striker, cover at centre half and a left midfielder!
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devontractorboy added 17:47 - May 4 Keane Out 2 (The Movie)
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slowerball added 17:47 - May 4 Could be paper talk and none of these stories take into account the players viewpoint. He would be taking a massive pay rise and moving closer to his family. He is one of our better performers and is a character to quote RK. I wouldn't want him to go, nor Wickham, but should we get £10m for Wickham and Walters... and have Wickham for two seasons? ANYONE can see why this is tempting - we coould Chopra & Murphy for £4m - and two or three others to back fill laces, ie, full backs (both sides), a proper midfield general and - if RK wants yet another one - a keeper. Lots of chopping and changing to come - but there will be more rumours than movement I bet ya... good that it's started early doors!

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slowerball added 17:51 - May 4 Yes, I know my spelling is shocking....
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16_Jack_ken_16 added 18:03 - May 4 Let him stay, let him stay, stay. dont get rid of him just keep him the bring alan lee and ambrose back to portman road :)
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TractorBoyOlly added 18:08 - May 4 No thanks
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bluechick added 18:12 - May 4 Straight swap for Beattie? Definately sell.
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HighSeasBlue added 18:31 - May 4 4 Million? To be honest that is good money. Could we not throw in Priskin as well? His work rate is very good, but I am not convinced he is as good as keane thinks? I am sure he does a lot behind the scenes which we don't see, but his form has been poor this season. Decisions................Decisions........
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PimsNumber1 added 18:34 - May 4 I hope he goes. If there was a poll on here yesterday on what Value Jon walters ? i recon the average price would be 1 mill, no joke . Thats the average because some would say 500k some 1.5 but 4 mill is absolutely superb for a bloke wjho works hard, chases crisp packets like norris and scores the odd goal. he was worth 2-4 mill 2 years ago but has been a depreciating asset ever since My valuation is 1.5 mill and thats based against priskin . i think priskin is worth 500k now but when we bought him and what he was doing at watford he probably was worth 1.5-2 mill and we paid 1.7 I really fear that if we take 4 mill keane will waste it on rubbish. I have NO faith in his ability to buy players. In fact after sundays joke , after a good game against the Toon Im wondering what the F is going on in that dressing room. especially after he told most of them days before that they were surlplus. Problem is I have NO faith in Keane replacing with better. Sundays game really really turned me off Keano.

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Mark added 18:39 - May 4 I like Walters as a hard worker and do not want him to leave, but clearly for £4M we should sell. It is probably paper-talk, when to Ipswich EVER get a decent price for selling a player? When was the last one? Westlake to Leeds in exchange or Harding plus cash probably.
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Mark added 18:41 - May 4 As for the comments comparing D.Wright to Walters, I and others disagree with letting Wright go for FREE, but that is not the same as saying we would let a player go for millions of pounds.
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PimsNumber1 added 18:44 - May 4 walters lost his pace 2 years ago ( maybe an underlying injury0 plus full backs sussed out the long ball to him and that was it , nullified in every game. Not a striker , not a midfielder , just a captain which keane strangely seems to rate. Adds very little to the team , infact we must have several other players that could perform aswell as walters that dont get in the team . I have not seen anything this season to warrant starting him let alone get 4 mill for him. Pulis is usually good in the transfer market , therefore either the price is wrong or the story is complete bollox

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Blueknight85 added 19:04 - May 4 pimsnumber1 we practically had a reserve side out sunday.
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Daleyitfc added 19:20 - May 4 £4m? Hah-hah-hah! In your dreams, everyone. We have no-one in the current squad worth even £1m.
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danknott added 19:22 - May 4 like it Daleyitfc!!!
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blueblood66 added 19:24 - May 4 £4 million! SELL SELL SELL!!!!!!Amamzing return for a bloke who cost £100k?
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blueblood66 added 19:25 - May 4 £4 million! SELL SELL SELL!!!!!!Amamzing return for a bloke who cost £100k?
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Oxblue added 19:41 - May 4 £4 million sell everyone has a price and i think every true fan would agree a good return for a guy who cost us very little.
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