Town target Michael Chopra has what it takes to make it in the Premier League, according to former England striker Peter Beardsley, who worked with the Cardiff frontman during his time with Newcastle’s academy. The Blues are understood to have offered £4 million for the 26-year-old, who is set to hold talks regarding his future with Bluebirds boss Dave Jones.

Beardsley says he thought Chopra would make more of an impression on the top flight when Roy Keane took him from Cardiff to Sunderland for £5 million in July 2007: “To be honest I was surprised he didn’t make it in the Premier League. Roy knows he is a good player.

“I think he was unlucky in his time at Sunderland that they weren’t too successful and were fighting relegation.

“Certainly in the Championship, as he proved last year with Cardiff, he can score goals at that level.”

Beardsley feels Premier League managers are overlooking the ex-England U21 international and are instead looking to more tried and trusted alternatives: “Michael is the best academy player I ever worked with, he was different class.

“But he hasn’t proven it in the Premier League yet and that is the problem. It’s not Michael’s problem, but managers want someone proven.”

Chopra, whose meeting with Jones is now said to be taking place when he returns to Cardiff for pre-season training at the end of this month, netted eight goals in 22 starts and 17 sub appearances in the Premier League for the Black Cats before returning to Cardiff, initially on loan, in November 2008.

Photo: Action Images

AYACCA added 11:03 - Jun 16 HOLD THE FRONT PAGE! i think that Connor Wickham has prem class - not worth an article about it.
0

Norwichbeater added 11:10 - Jun 16 Chopra having talks when he returns to pre-season training. This means there has been no £4 million offer. All a load of b******s again!
0

itfc1981 added 11:16 - Jun 16 Watch out Phil, handbags from AYACCA!
0

Yallop added 11:41 - Jun 16 Sign him up Keano!
0

Tractorog added 11:43 - Jun 16 Poor Phil damned for publishing stories that are froth and then damned for not publishing anything at all. Will there be any ITFC stories worth publishing at all during the world cup... or even before the final day of the transfer window? Lets hope so. Ronaldinho signs for Town... Ronaldo begs Keane for more time to prove his worth... Capello accepts managers assistant's role at PR.

0

blueherts added 11:52 - Jun 16 Keane is waiting to sign up a team of World Cup 'STARS' remember Amir Karic !!! best left foot in , errrr ... Slovenia?
0

Monkey_Blue added 12:27 - Jun 16 Keane doesn't seem to have made headway on the assistant he's after, surely be just as useful to have someone alongside him who knows what they are doing... I guess its not the most attractive proposition but we need someone with some man management skills, tactical smarts and the strength to tell keane when he's acting like a moron.
0

IpswichElvis added 12:34 - Jun 16 Beardsley knows about as much as Keane does when it comes to footballers - nothing. That's why Beardsley rates him even though Chopra flopped in the Premier League with Sunderland. Maybe Beardsley means if Chopra gets a second crack at playing in the Premiership (not that any clubs up there want him). Tell you something?? How would Beardsley know anything about Chopra anyway? Chopra would have run away at the first sight of Beardsley heading towards him !!!!

0

IpswichElvis added 12:35 - Jun 16 Or Chopra was hiding in the bookies !!!
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 13:33 - Jun 16 oh dear, and of course you are the fount of all knowledge, by the way how's it going running the Brazil team or are you with Spain as you are obvioulsy an expert. IpswichElvis added 12:34 - Jun 16 Beardsley knows about as much as Keane does when it comes to footballers - nothing.
0

IpswichElvis added 13:42 - Jun 16 Well TractorRoyNo1 - let me put it this way. I wouldn't have signed Priskin or Martin for starters !!!!
0

IpswichElvis added 13:50 - Jun 16 And one other thing TractorRoyNo1. How old are you? 12?? Your spelling is shocking. I am guessing that "fount" means font or maybe fountain? And obviously is not spelt "obvioulsy". If Mr TractorRoy is reading this, stop your kid's pocket money until he does better at English in school. And rip all those Roy Keane posters off his wall too !!!
0

petermorris added 15:10 - Jun 16 smakt botom from teecher TractorRoyNo1. elvis havn a badday.....
0

generalpublic added 02:15 - Jun 17 we reckon the england and ipswich managers are rubbish
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls