Connor Wickham has been linked with Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool in this morning’s papers and Damien Delaney with Derby County, while former Blue David Johnson has been revealed as the subject of a racist remark made by former Sky and new Talksport presenter Richard Keys.

One of this morning’s tabloids claims the Magpies see Wickham as the replacement for Andy Carroll, a rumour which has been doing the rounds since being mentioned on a radio programme on the final day of the transfer window.

Sources elsewhere claim Spurs are still the frontrunners for Wickham's signature in the summer, while Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish’s trip to watch England’s U19s, apparently to watch the Blues’ 17-year-old striker in action, is also again reported.

Wickham recently signed a new contract with Town aimed at keeping him at the club until June 2013.

Derby County boss Nigel Clough is said to have joined a number of Championship bosses in enquiring about Damien Delaney’s availability. Delaney, who is out of contract at the end of the season, was targeted by Crystal Palace in the transfer window, the Blues turning down a £800,000 joint bid for the Irishman and skipper David Norris. Town boss Paul Jewell has told Delaney he wants him to stay at least until the end of the season.

Elsewhere, one of this morning’s papers has revealed that Richard Keys referred to former Town man David Johnson as a “Choco Jocko” while discussing the striker’s proposed call-up by Scotland in 1999.

Johnson has said he is “very disappointed” by the comments, which have been slammed by anti-racist groups, adding: “If I’d have heard him say that at the time I would have been absolutely furious.”

Keys has denied that he is a racist: “I absolutely refute any suggestion of any racism. This was off-air and 11 years ago and anyone who knows me knows that Ruud Gullit, Dion Dublin and Ian Wright are not only my past associates but some of my best friends.”

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 09:46 - Feb 13 No real surprise re Wickham ... I think we will do very well to hang on to him in the Summer. If he goes has to be £10M. As for Delaney - well, like Norris and McAuley I think it will be complete madness if ITFC allow these players to leave on free transfers. We will have to pay out to replace them! Enough has been said on the contract negotiations, but needless to say it is a complete fast. What on earth is Clegg and co doing?!

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village_blue added 09:51 - Feb 13 Agree the Wickham link is no surprise and I think that he will leave in the summer.is the Delaney link with Derby now on loan or in the Summer for free, anyone know?
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BrettenhamBlue added 09:56 - Feb 13 Wickham link is no surprise- as Jas0999 has said- would be gutted if he went for the wrong price. The more interest the better,- might start a bidding war. Could get 10-12 million for him if lucky. If we don't sign up Delaney his agent will find him a deal at another club- no shock there either.
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tractorblue99 added 09:57 - Feb 13 We could sell wickham to spurs and get dos santos back... But on the otherhand I would like to see him stay.
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wellhungphil added 10:22 - Feb 13 If the Stripey Pies want Master Wickham then they need to hand over all the dough they got for the sale of the inferior Andy Carroll !! Let's be stern on this one, it's crazy money but we need to be part of the madness!!
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BluePhilG added 10:49 - Feb 13 Just listened to the audio clip on the Mirror website re the other story here, and FWIW I think Keys refers to Johnno as Jocko Johnno, altho I am not defending him in any way...
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Vexorg added 10:49 - Feb 13 "inferior Andy Carroll" LOL
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godders added 11:02 - Feb 13 I think the club needs to be a lttle careful in panicking into signing the likes of Norris for 3 years, no club can be expected to do that in the current climate for a pro of his age. I think the players need to be realistic, get a 2 year deal and then all parties can review after 1 year.
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yorksblue added 12:22 - Feb 13 See Talksport have taken on Keys and Gray as their morning presenters. Does this mean the end for Jocko Brazil?
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blueblood66 added 12:26 - Feb 13 since when was the term 'Jock' racist? What a pile of PC tosh
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bedsitfc added 12:37 - Feb 13 keys and grey are doing the 10 -1 show in talk sport so al is safe.
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tom_the_blue added 12:46 - Feb 13 Perhaps calling him 'Choco' could be considered racist? I wouldn't have thought so though. Sounds like the mirror is just stirring things up. We need to tie up Delaney to a new deal, and if we can start a bidding war for Wickham then we could get a lot for him, especially considering how overpriced good Englich players are, eg Milner, Carroll
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ChiefXL added 12:53 - Feb 13 "But some of my best friends are black" Maybe they're the 'dark' forces he thinks are out to get him?
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Worcester added 13:22 - Feb 13 Yep Let Connor go with our blessing unless we do a palace and get into the playoff's and into the prem. £10 mil? He hasn't scored enough goals for that. £3-5 Mil maybe. Still enough to get us another decent striker to replace him. Delaney Well PJ isn't a d*ckhead and will either wrap up the contract or geta replacement. Their are other very good Centrehalfs in the Champ that we could bid for

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casanovacrow added 13:25 - Feb 13 Evans should gamble a bit pay the wages for Delaney, McAuley and Norris, spend abit for a real push next year. Can you think how much more Wickham would be worth after a goal in the prem? In the current market seeing as the new ruling coming in about home grown players he'd be worth double if he/we were in the prem.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:45 - Feb 13 Blueblood66, your av is that from bobbles garden .
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TheRef added 14:31 - Feb 13 why is it when ever someone is called a racist they list all there black friends, why cant they just say i'm not a racist, lol, bless em, if wickham is still with us by the start of next season then i'll be a happy man, but i wont hold my breath, i think the rest should stay, no reason, except i said so
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Lightningboy added 15:23 - Feb 13 For God's sake..the mirror are digging up stories from 10+ years ago...they'll be running a headline on how "love thy neighbour" was racist tomorrow,will they? Someone somewhere obviously doesn't like Richard Keys or Andy Gray very much...this person needs to get him/herself a bit more of a life really.
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devontractorboy added 16:28 - Feb 13 To refer to a Black footballer as 'Choco' is racist, there is no excuse, it's referring to someone based on their ethnicity & if any of you were black, or abused for being white, you'd be offended. It's time people in the UK & the media woke up and respected people of all races, creeds and colours. It doesn't matter when it was said, it was done for cheap laughs at someone else's expense, because you're famous and on telly, doesn't mean you should be above the law!

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Rimsy added 16:40 - Feb 13 devontractorboy. I think the word was 'jocko' as, at the time he was being courted to represent scotland.
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Len_Brennan added 17:49 - Feb 13 Richard Keys is going the wrong way about defending himself with this "some of my best friends are black" business. He needs to take a leaf out of Fr. Ted's book and call a meeting for members of various ethnic groups in his local community, where he gives a slideshow presentation, interspersed with subliminal messages, to point out all the positives of racial integration. Oh yeah, he'll also be needing to provide a skipful of free drink.

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Superblue85 added 18:16 - Feb 13 Spot on Devontractorboy. Rimsy, if you read the quote he said "chocko Jocko" which is a racial slur and I find it shocking that there are a people on here who don't understand/think this is ok. It's 2011!!
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rosseden added 18:22 - Feb 13 ''Rimsy, if you read the quote he said "chocko Jocko" which is a racial slur and I find it shocking that there are a people on here who don't understand/think this is ok. It's 2011!! '' he said this ten years ago though right?
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Worcester added 18:34 - Feb 13 isn't Jocko a poor way to address scots people? double racist also and an arrogant knob
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TheRef added 19:12 - Feb 13 devontractorboy, have you never had a laugh at another races expense, ever, if not i appluad you, i for one do not consider my self to be racist nor would i say such a man of richard keys integrity is, nor is he sexist, he is a victim of the times, an off air remark ten years ago does not constitute hanging this man, but it seems people are out to get him, witch hunt springs to mind, but i guess thats my opinion, gawd bless ya

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