Town skipper Jon Walters is understood to be on the verge of a £3 million move to Premier League Stoke City. Walters has been tipped to make his Portman Road exit all summer with QPR recently claimed to have had a £2.5 million offer rebuffed by the Blues and weekend reports that the former Republic of Ireland B international had handed in a transfer request.

The Blues and Potters are believed to have agreed the fee and Walters is expected at the Britannia Stadium today to talk personal terms with the move looking likely to be completed before the end of the week.

The 26-year-old, who is contracted to Town until 2012, was strongly linked with Stoke in the summer of 2008, but no offer was eventually forthcoming, and then again earlier in this close season.

Manager Roy Keane, who made Walters his captain last season, said in January that the Birkenhead-born player is capable of playing in the top flight: “Jon’s been outstanding. He’s a been a really good leader for us, even earlier in the season when we were having a difficult spell.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, Jon Walters could easily be playing in the Premiership, so we’re very lucky to have him. He’s a very, very important player for us.”

Walters joined Town from Chester City for an initial £100,000 in January 2007, the deal also including top-ups relating to appearances by the player and promotion for the Blues which would could have taken the fee to £200,000. The one-time Blackburn and Bolton trainee coincidentally made his Town debut against Stoke in a 0-0 draw in Staffordshire.

If Walters completes his move, the Blues are appear almost certain to use some of the cash raised to tempt Cardiff City into selling number one target Michael Chopra, their offers so far having been refused by the Bluebirds.

Meanwhile, a season ticket in D Block of the Cobbold Stand has been revealed as the fourth most expensive in the country at £1,001, higher than the top-priced seats at Manchester United and Newcastle and cheaper than only Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea’s most costly tickets.

Photo: Action Images

TheSpecialOne added 13:32 - Aug 4 Great Business.
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SWGF added 13:34 - Aug 4 THREE MILLION QUID?!? *faints*
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Seasonticketsteve added 13:34 - Aug 4 Not good timing to lose your captain on the eve of the new season but £3 million is alot of money if true and could definitely be used to stengthen the side, does this mean that Edwards would play more? Or would we be looking for a new right sided player? If Walters leaves, Chopra has to come or I think it is only a matter of time until the fans revolt (well more than they are already) lol

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WadzillaBhoy added 13:36 - Aug 4 Walters I wish you lots of luck in the Prem, sad to see you leave us but will be watching you play on MOTD.
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northants added 13:36 - Aug 4 If it means we get chopra then this is a good deal as walters in my view is neither winger nor striker, a bit of a hybrid really.
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Strider added 13:37 - Aug 4 I'm not that i'll be sad to see him go. A year or two ago he was awesome for us but i think he's gone off the boil. You can never fault his work rate but too often his delivery from wide right is poor. I'd prefer to see Carlos Edwards be given a run of games on the right and perhaps the money could go towards Chopra or Fryatt
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Billy_Whizz added 13:37 - Aug 4 Got to be part and parcel of the Chopra deal! If so - good business, if not then another player goes without replacement. At least Cardiff have good reason for not being able to field a team, what's our excuse?
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JonTheBass added 13:37 - Aug 4 This, if rumours are to be believed, because he can't stand Keane and wanted out. Given that we clearly, badly needed to strengthen the side this summer after a very disappointing 09/10 season, how do we all feel about the transfer activity that we have seen so far this summer? Garvan, Walters, Wright, Rosenior etc gone, 5 or so more players told that the manager doesn't think they're up to it, and we've signed 2 players that I hadn't heard of. Thoughts anyone? I know some will say that Walters hasn't been as good last season as before, but he's still been one of our better players, so if he's going who's going to replace him? How is this progress forwards? I hate to come across as Mr Negative, but I give RK till the end of November at most.

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Seasonticketsteve added 13:38 - Aug 4 Leadbitter or Norris for captain???
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meekreech added 13:39 - Aug 4 Does our club want promotion or not ? We are losing the heart of the side with no better players coming in !
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ipswichsupporter88 added 13:39 - Aug 4 farewell Jon. You will be missed. NOW LETS USE THE MONEY WISELY!!! :D
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cornishnick added 13:40 - Aug 4 So who will be new captain? Norris? Leadbitter?
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Jim added 13:41 - Aug 4 I agree with what everybody else seems to be saying in that this represents good business for the club for a player who has not been at his best for the past 2 seasons. However it is vital we bring some quality in. I obviously don't want panic signings, but this squad of ours is still very poor. We need 2 strikers, decent creative midfield player, a right back and a winger. Doesn't seem that we will get them though and I can't remember feeling so underwhelmed about a new season.

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suffolksam added 13:41 - Aug 4 4th most expensive season tickets in the country theres something we can all be proud of
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uppersirbob added 13:41 - Aug 4 3 million ! take the money !
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hadleighboyblue added 13:41 - Aug 4 good business if it happens , he has been poor for last 2 seasons . it creates funds to get some decent players in..........let's hope it all happens quickly , unlike the fulop deal
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townylist added 13:42 - Aug 4 Walters out must be now that Chopra`s coming in, good deal Keano if true!!!!!
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tom_the_blue added 13:42 - Aug 4 Great deal. There is no way he is worth £3M and if it is true he wants away, then getting an over-inflated fee like this is great business. LEADBITTER FOR CAPTAIN!!!
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TomCrowvers added 13:43 - Aug 4 Very good money for an average championship player.
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finidigeorge88 added 13:43 - Aug 4 If chopra doesnt sign now he never will..
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tom_the_blue added 13:43 - Aug 4 And also, what a disgrace about ticket prices. But I suppose, it is a business and ME probably wants some of the money he invested into the club back.
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GeorgiDoundarov added 13:45 - Aug 4 Perfect!!! Even more than perfect. £3M is waaaaaaay more that I expected to get for Walters. If it was me I wouldn't give more than £1M for a player like Walters. For me he was way overrated here at PR even from Keane. I'd say he was good 1 season ago but last season he was not shining so to have this big money for him is brilliant business. Just hope the transfer will go through. Then we will have the needed money for Chopra and hopefully another good striker!

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ipswichsupporter88 added 13:46 - Aug 4 now walters is gone Keano is gonna have to sign a striker - no question!!!
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Martus added 13:47 - Aug 4 Had one good season, i dont like the style of play he play when his is a striker i.e just punt it foward to him, and not a good winger. He is a good leader and i like his effort but for £3 million it is good business. Now we need a good striker, maybe a back up aswell (Chopra and Lambert?) a creative midfielder JJ O'Toole of Cholchester? and a CB Jay Demerit on a Free USA CB did well at World Cup. This is my Ipswich are in the premier league under my guidance in FM!

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tractorboyholmes added 13:48 - Aug 4 I am now starting to get SERIOUSLY WORRIED about the state of our club. Granted Walters wasn't half the player he usually is last season but when the going's not good he's the first person you want in your team. If we haven't got Chops already lined up with the Walters cash then i'm sorry but I think we'll be lucky to even survive in the Championship - let alone challenge! I totally agree with JonTheBass. Keano has got until christmas to show that he really does know what he's doing and that he hasn't just p**sed off everyone in the squad. And this is actually coming from a big Keano fan too!!

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