Town manager Roy Keane says Jon Stead’s proposed move to Bristol City is likely to be confirmed one way or the other today. The Blues have accepted an offer from the Robins believed to be in the region of £225,000 with the player having held talks at Ashton Gate and with other clubs, including Cardiff City, last week.

Keane said: “That one’s up in the air, I think we’ll have more news on Monday. I think it’s going to come to a head one way or the other. The club have had an offer and he’s in the final year of his contract.”

Despite the bid having been accepted, the Blues boss says he has been immensely impressed with Stead while his future has been in doubt: “His performance against Palace was outstanding. We’ve been delighted with Steady, considering there’s been a lot of speculation hanging over him.

“He’s a good example to players in that despite the speculation and what might be happening, he’s kept his head down and he’s showed a good side to him.”

Keane admits that Stead’s exit would leave a gap in his squad and intended to speak to the former England U21 international on their return from south London on Saturday: “If he were to go we’d miss him, but I’ll have a chat with him when he get back tonight. I’m not really up to date on the latest. I’ll speak to our chief executive tonight.”

The Blues boss says in footballing terms he’d prefer Stead to stay, but budgetary requirements mean he has had to allow players to leave when he would have preferred to have kept them: “There are one or two other players we couldn’t really afford to let go. There’s a business side to football.”

Keane says Stead’s exit is something which is out of his hands: “I’m the football manager, I’m trying to manage the football side not the finances. I’m not an accountant, thank God!”

The Town manager is happy with his side's start to the season and will continue to look at strengthening his squad this week, but feels he probably won’t land all his targets: “We’re pleased, but the Championship is a long old road, which is why we need more players.

“We need to get three or four in this week, but I don’t think it’ll happen, so what we’ve got at the moment will just have to keep going.”

Photo: Action Images

suffolksam added 07:17 - Aug 23 not the brightest move when we are doing so well at the moment
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Marcus added 07:36 - Aug 23 Budget requirements? We're selling as if we're in administration!
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mickeyjb added 07:48 - Aug 23 That's a worrying sentence "probably won't get everyone" we need these players desperately. And I agree with the above post except we've got rid of mire players now than when we were in administration!
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colonel added 07:56 - Aug 23 What ever happens with Stead I wish him well coz hes been a true pro, wears his heart on his sleeve and gives 100%. On the transfer saga, lets face it none of us really know what's going on with permanent signings but we will do come the end of the month & then ther'll be a bunfight over loan signings. The whole thing sounds like a high level game of poker to me but not one worth bankrupting yourself over. Lets hope they can land the few decent signings we clearly need. COYB.

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whymark4lazio0 added 07:58 - Aug 23 £225k is ridiculously low. Stead is only 27 and a proven performer and character. According to TWTD stats:- Last season he scored 7 league goals in 15 full appearances + 10 sub appearances. The season before he scored 12 league goals in 26 full appearances + 13 sub appearances. Is it possible that if Stead was played consistently he could be the 20 goal scorer we're looking for? Even If not he provides excellent cover for Connor (RK says he will not play Connor every game). We paid £600k for Stead 2 years ago, since then he has only enhanced his reputation. From the article above RK does not want to lose him but Clegg/Evans have insisted that he's sold before we buy again. I understand that this is the last year of his contract and that he's on high wages but £225k is a joke. His wages + £225k would not buy a player of similar quality. I would much prefer we kept him but if we do sell him (especially to a rival team) then we should asking for £1m+ and at the very least the £600k we paid for him. Since the Clegg/Evans/Keane Holy Trinity was formed all our transfer dealings seem to based on the principle of "buy extremely high/sell low". I'm not sure how this has been allowed to happen (esp by an esteemed businessman like ME) but I'm sure its got something to do with the awkward division of duties between Clegg and Keane which is also hampering our ability to close out deals. Come on Clegg- get a grip!

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homer_123 added 08:03 - Aug 23 Going to be difficult to replace Stead for £225k even if his wages are very high. Clearly Clegg & Evans are getting their house in order (financially) and it's largely a decision I think is right. However, longer term for this season, if we have a small squad such as this we are going to struggle to maintain a push for promotion.
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Moscow_Blue added 08:16 - Aug 23 Look guys - it's not just about the headline number. If he is on 15K a week, and he has one year to go, it will theoretically cost someone 750K to settle his contract. This allows him a fresh start with a new contract (and presumably on a lower weekly rate) at his new club. These payments are never part of the headline numbers, so the published numbers are meaningless. Good luck to him by the way. Committed player, but not quite up to the necessary standard. Come on you Blues!!!!!!!!!!

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Blue92 added 08:18 - Aug 23 If we lose Stead and dont bring in Scotland or Chops, then the board are t*ssers.
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Pendejo added 08:24 - Aug 23 Very strange Do we have salary quotas in place? Presumably Scotland and / or Chopra would command far more in wages than Stead, so did Stead & Walters need to go in order to allow them to come in? I'd like Stead to stay I think he is a fine footballer even if he's not a 20 goal a season man.
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Back_The_Boss added 08:26 - Aug 23 I am disappointed Steads going, i'm sure Keane has a replacemant in mind.
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jjoe_underwood1 added 08:32 - Aug 23 If we let Steady go who's going to play at Crewe tomorrow nite? We'll only have Priskin and Murray with nobody to come off the bench. If we can't clinch a deal for players then we need to keep Stead because he's currently our best striker who is actually fit!
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gibbo added 08:37 - Aug 23 I think Evans and Clegg are Norwich fans and wont to rip the heart out of this club.
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DanLyles added 08:44 - Aug 23 With Stead on his way and Townsend suspended we are looking at a front three of Edwards (did well against Boro and Palace), Priskin (Mr Lethargic) and possibly Reggie Lambe (unknown quantity) against Bristol, unless Clegg can seal some deals this week. The need for two of Scotland, Chopra and McCormack is now greater than ever!!!
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bedsitfc added 08:53 - Aug 23 stead may say he wants to stay at ipswich and if he did i don't think keane will be too unhappy, an offer has come in thats acceptable, like he has said before if we get acceptable offers for our players we will allow the player to talk to the club. but please please please if we are putting yet another bid in for chopra, make it the last and be prepared to look else where. we still need defensive cover and a holding midfielder (can't expect young luke to play 46 league games)

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whymark4lazio0 added 08:58 - Aug 23 I rarely comment - but here's my second on this story its really bugging me. Firstly to all people saying that buying Chopra for £4m and selling Stead for £225k- please look up their stats. Secondly Stead has made an excellent start to the season where we would be without him- I suggest 3 or 4 points worse off and possibly out of League Cup. Boro- came on as sub, nearly scored with first touch then scored excellent clincher Exeter- Excellent game to support the youngsters- hand in second goal- assist for winner Burnley- assist for our only goal Palace- made excellent chance that Edwards should have converted- won the penalty/sending off that turned the game If we sell for £225k worst sale since...errr..Jordan Rhodes- no we got reasonable money for youngster - no can't think of worse sale.

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robdaful added 09:04 - Aug 23 I hope the clubs has some aces up their sleeve. - Well good sigings lined up. Stead can always reject the offer by Bristol City like he has done to other offers.
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brittaniaman added 09:08 - Aug 23 Cardiff have pushed the boat out (as the saying goes) so why we cannot do it I do not know.They are (so we hear) in financial difficulties but it has not bothered them, they are going for it, it is just beginning to look as though we are in financial difficulties I hope not !!!!!!. Because at the moment we are just a selling club and not a buying one !!!!. Clubs worse off than us are getting players in left right and centre, or are we all just impatient. I hope to be proved wrong later this week, bye for now

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Nevadablue added 09:17 - Aug 23 I agree with comments that the apparently bargain-basement selling price does not necessarily reflect the potentially very high salary we might save by selling Steady, but he has made such a strong start to the campaign, it begs the question can we afford not to have him in the side? On the other side of the coin, is the sudden improvement in quality more of an advertisement to interested teams?

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BlueysNosebag added 09:25 - Aug 23 Stead is also in the final year of his contract so if it got to January and a) Town decided not to offer him a new one or b) he didn't want to stay then he could go for nothing. So we have to way up whether we prefer £0 or £225,000 for him. It could be the former is worth gambling on because if he keeps performing and puts us in a strong position for promotion, £225,000 would be small change compared to the money we'd get for being promoted. One could also argue keeping Stead rather than pay for Chopra, Scotland or AN Other would be a better idea. However, it seems that the decision is being made in the board room which suggests they aren't prepared to gamble on promotion!

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Woodbridgian added 09:30 - Aug 23 In my view only 3 possible reasons for the lack of activity on players coming in 1) ME has run out of money 2) Clegg is Incompetent 3) ME / Clegg trying to get Keane so frustrated he walks and they to get rid on the cheap
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Frase1987 added 09:32 - Aug 23 225k is an absolute joke...
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Seasonticketsteve added 09:37 - Aug 23 Just heard Keane say Steads future should be resolved today and he is in Bristol as I type this. Also a striker is imminent today! Who though-betting man would say Scotland, trying to get a deal done before Martinez gets sacked perhaps?
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brittaniaman added 09:39 - Aug 23 According to Twitter Stead is at Bristol ready to sign today, and keano is about to sign a striker, (not Chopra) latest.
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meekreech added 09:39 - Aug 23 I am beginning to feel that our club is becoming hindrance to our owner as he does not seem to want the club to prosper on the football front ! If his ambition is to get us to the top he must be prepared to put more effort into supporting the manager with the players needed ! Not everything depends on the bottom line on a balance sheet as shown by the state of manufacturing in this country . For progress to be made investment has to be made in the product then the income will be forthcoming and the profits made . We must have new players this week or all hope of promotion can be thrown away !!!

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ITFCson added 10:48 - Aug 23 The sale of steady seems beyond the ridiculous...If he is on his last year of his contract then we are only commited to paying his wages until it expires, so he is on 15k a week.... 15X52 + 225k = 1.05M So thats how much it would cost to keep him this season and risk him going for free. How much do they say its worth getting in the prem? 60M...Seems a very good calculated gamble to keep him as having him here (even just as a back up striker or from the bench) could be the difference between us gaining promotion. Also we gain extra revenue the further we go in the cups...he could certainly be the difference between winning and losing vs crewe. Maybe not going to get those 20 goals a season but certainly the type of character you want around a football club. His attitude recently has been excellent, it must of been hard to get motivated for the palace game when you know the following saturday you will probably be playing against your team-mates. If he does go I wish him all the best, his attitude and commitment should be an example to all.

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