Blackburn Rovers have terminated Town target Pascal Chimbonda’s contract with immediate effect. The former Wigan man’s Ewood Park deal was due to end in the summer.

The Blues and QPR are both understood to be chasing the 31-year-old, with the Championship leaders previously having been reported to be offering £500,000 for the right-back, leading to speculation that Town could offer a similar fee, something which would be unnecessary now that he is a free agent.

Chimbonda's agent Willie McKay says there are several interested parties: "Pascal is looking for a new club and he has a number of options he is considering.

"Pascal is disappointed at how things have ended up at Blackburn as he could have signed a long-term deal at West Ham in the last transfer window.

"Pascal is ready for a new challenge and he is prepared to sign a short-term deal until June to get back playing again.

"Pascal is a great free transfer as he can play anywhere across the back and has a wealth of experience having played in the Premier League for five seasons."

Earlier this afternoon, Paul Jewell, who brought Chimbonda into English football when Wigan boss, confirmed that he had made an enquiry regarding the former French international: “I’ve made lots of phone calls and I’ve spoken to [Blackburn manager] Steve Kean about a couple of things and Pascal’s name did come up in conversation, but to see in the paper that we’ve bid £500,000 is complete nonsense.

“I just asked generally about what would be available. I’ve made lots of phone calls, as I’ve had lots of phone calls.

“I asked him what the situation is and he said he’d think about it. Whether Pascal Chimbonda is part of his plans, I don’t 100% know. I’ll leave that to Steve.”

Chimbonda is evidently not in Kean’s plans and a switch to the Blues, QPR or another unnamed interested party looks likely in the days to come.

Photo: Action Images

MCGOODERZ added 18:25 - Jan 20 i'd go for micah richards instead
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Guthrum added 18:29 - Jan 20 Bizarre - clubs are (reportedly) offering money, so they let him go for free??
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Premiertown added 18:30 - Jan 20 Managers like players they know but also their personal circumstances. Can they afford to live in Suffolk? Family situtions are also considered. If you have a limited budget without generating cash you cant afford mistakes. Is this guy a long term prospect or will he move every year or so? Stability nad long term growth more important than quick fixes at the moment. Trust the manager he will know a lot more than us.

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Garv added 18:31 - Jan 20 A sacking basically? Agree with guthrum that is bizarre when clubs are evidently interested.
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joshuanelli added 18:32 - Jan 20 Premiertown ... I'm not sure if Chimbonda has family in France but Suffolk is a little closer than Lancashire if he needed to pop back over the water? Although in all fairness so is QPR - bang goes that theory!! lol
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tractorboybig added 18:34 - Jan 20 premiertown A quick fix is what we need now. Its called staying in the championship and not going down.
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Mark added 18:35 - Jan 20 Wow, that's a surprise! Why sack him and pay off his contract (presumably) when they could give him to Ipswich on a free transfer or for a fee? All I can think is that he wouldn't leave due to the pay gap, so they had to pay off his big Blackburn wages to get him to leave. Could it be that a player we thought would cost a big transfer fee signs for free? It'd be the opposite of Lee Martin!

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TheBlueStig added 18:45 - Jan 20 I agree with most of the comments on here with Blackburn calling for his contract to end rather than get a fee, seems strange but good for us, hopefully he will sign a deal with us and he seems to play well under Jewell when they were both at Wigan, still a good player but hasen't been the same since to be honest, despite his glamerous moves to Tottenham (twice), Sunderland and Blackburn, I think he is a good player to have in and around the club... Mr Jewell I believe you have some more negiotiating to do with Mr Chimbonda now!

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Frankley_Blue added 18:47 - Jan 20 Must have something to do with the settlement he was 'demanding' from Blackburn. Terminate. Pay up the contract. Get rid!
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gloucester_tractor added 18:57 - Jan 20 Strange as itmay seem blackburn will have got rid of his wages and the clubs have more to deal with as a package may be signing on fee and wages with in the current stucture Must be worth a shot
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 19:08 - Jan 20 Don't bank on him coming to PR! There will be other options. Would probably be a good stop-gap measure in the relegation fight we are seriously involved in. Perhaps not a long-term solution, but still - one step at a time. Let's get out of the mess we're in first. But ff we did go down, then I reckon the youngsters could get us back up again without too many expensive additions to the squad.

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Wallis added 19:14 - Jan 20 Would be a good signing if we get him for free, I think the main priorty is a striker, it's so obvious that we are not scoring enough goals, Keane would still be here if he had sorted this problem, there are so many chances missed in front of goal it's unbelievable. Scotland couldn't stop scoring at Swansea, what has happened to him? Grant Holt is crap but for some reason he can't stop scoring, Priskin is great one minute then crap the next, he never seems happy on the pitch, there is something wrong there.

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lunatic38 added 19:16 - Jan 20 Blackburn now have more money than sense as is apparent here, but i would not think there was anything untoward going on. Hope PJ gets him!
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Back_The_Boss added 19:18 - Jan 20 Yes please, he would be a good addition to the squad. COYB! PJ's first win on saturday.
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dreblue added 19:19 - Jan 20 Ummm it's good to see players like him linked to us and a breath of fresh air that they are not sunderland rejects, irish or overly priced!! The good thing about all this is that he is now free and let's be honest he would def make our defence alot stronger!! I dont want to be negative but I have NO CONFIDENCE in Clegg been able to finalise a contract for a part time waiter yet alone a football contract!! As much as he has the clubs finance at his best interest his lack of experience and ability to finalise players contracts is going to cost us far more in the long term! I still think we missed out massively by him not been able to close deals for Derry and Chopra!! Let's hope Jewell has a few more ideas up his sleeve! Jason Roberts would do nicely as well. COYB

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katemoss added 19:32 - Jan 20 There is no chance of Chimbonda signing for Ipswich. Unfortunately, he will have a bigger offers from clubs in a better position than ourselves. This is another in a long line of phantom signings. How about signing the player and then announce it, instead of advertising a players availabilty so that another club can come in for him?
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jas0999 added 19:37 - Jan 20 This is very worrying. IF other clubs have bid for him - why terminate the contract? Assume this is another Ben Thatcher situation ... a player point blank refusing to play ball and on loads of money. In the end the club are delighted to get rid as the player disrupts the team. It's all well and good saying he will be a good signing - but rarely would a club let a player go (which costs money) if there is not a good reason.It's a bit like saying we will terminate Civelli's / Edwards contract! Hope the club research the reasoning before signing this guy. Also - some people bang on about saying 'he's not a Sunderland reject' ... actually he DID play for Sunderland - signed by one Roy Keane. Also, when will people realise that most managers tend to sign players they used to manage? No different here to Roy signing a player he signed/ worked with from Sunderland.

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bluelady added 19:39 - Jan 20 jas0999 he was that impressed with Keane he left after 6 months :-)
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jas0999 added 19:48 - Jan 20 bluelady - I am merely pointing out that he played for Sunderland and is thus technically a Sunderland reject!!! Fact I'm afraid. Doesn't bother me either way,as I never had any issue with Roy or indeed any other manager signing players they had worked with. In many ways very sensible. However,would love to know why Blackburn took the rather extreme measure to terminate Chimbonda's contract. There must be a reason and I doubt it's to allow him to sign for Town!

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Bobby_Petta added 19:57 - Jan 20 Wallis, we are not scoring goals because we lack flair in midfeild, we need a playmaker to give the forwards some service. They were never going to score many the negitive way Keane played. Priorty must decent central midfielder who can pass and some quick wingers! Full back is one of our weakest positions, so would be a decent signing on a free short term.
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Bobby_Petta added 19:58 - Jan 20 Katemoss why are you always so negative? :)
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MarkITFC added 20:08 - Jan 20 Sign him up , would be a great signing imo ! sort the right back problem out and peters would then push on into a Attacking winger .. just hope clegg n evens can get the deal done , which has been our downfall in recent seasons !
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RYITFC added 20:16 - Jan 20 Chimbonda would be ok as a short term fix to help us in this relegation battle, But would like to sign us sign younger players.
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bluelady added 20:42 - Jan 20 jas was pulling your leg!
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bluecrossy added 20:45 - Jan 20 I reckon at his age he will probably decide to end his career back in his homeland
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