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

Superblue85 added 19:12 - Feb 13 So it was ok in 1999 Rosseden?!
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AshFinland added 19:22 - Feb 13 @blueblood66, Of course the term "jocko" is racist. It is a word with negative connotations that stigmatises a particular group based on its nationality. Ditto "paddy," "taffy" and the like. Call a Scottish person a "jocko" to their face and see what the reaction is... Richard Keys is an absolute joke. It would take an ignorant racist scumbag to use "it was off-air" as an excuse for this sorry state of affairs. "That's okay then Rich. So long as you're only racist in your free-time..." Idiot.

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BluePhilG added 19:46 - Feb 13 Guys, listen to the audio on the Mirror website, in the context of what was said just before Keys' comment, it certainly seems more likely he said Jocko rather than Chocco. This is not a comment on the racist aspect, just a suggestion on what was actually said...
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billericayblue added 19:55 - Feb 13 Utter drivel , jock is not a racist term for a scot, and what nonsense that " if you called a scot a Jock to their face " blah blah blah , again I'm astounded by the ignorance of people on this site , I have an office In Glasgow and the guys I work with would be no more insulted being called a jock than I would being called A southerner or a limey. For what it's worth I think people should get some perspective.

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TheRef added 20:28 - Feb 13 billericayblue, WELL SAID
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leadbitter6 added 20:54 - Feb 13 Carroll went for 35mill, ask 15mill for Wickham. lets see how intrested these clubs really are instead of rolling over like we normally do
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blueherts added 21:00 - Feb 13 Hey - Sweaty Sock - or a sweaty is better As for Keys he is , and always has been a complete Merchant - Dumb and Dumber , him and Gray - Talk Sport is spot on for them As for the rest - Yep CW - Take all the Carroll money and they can have him Norris - as I said afew days back - we have not had a full season out of him yet - which is why I think 2 years is a good deal for him

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Sospiri added 21:49 - Feb 13 Newcastle (or anyone else for that matter) would be mad to buy Whickam as a straight-in, first team striker, as a replacement for the likes of Carrol. He's nowehere near consistent enough yet. On another matter, to quote David Brent; "that was in the 40s, before racism was bad"
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rosseden added 00:31 - Feb 14 no, Superblue, not at all, not right at any time, but i think people need to get facts straight...... a lot changes in ten years...... and why bring this all up now? it wasnt important last week, or for the last ten years.... its media tryign to sell stories....... Keys is a moron, true, but i dont see anyone kicking off about the unbelieveable amount of racism that still goes on in the game, fans, players, its everywhere if you look at it, then theres the islamaphobia, the sexism, theres racism against welsh players, irish players, italians, you name it, people chant about it...... I dont think its right, i just dont get why everyone jumps on their moral high horse when someone in the media says something off air, you can hear abuse in the background watching most TV games, but i rarely see that in the papers??

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bobble added 08:45 - Feb 14 i know he's young but i cant see him being able to perform for 3 clubs at once
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TractorRoyNo1 added 11:46 - Feb 14 how much did saints get for wolcott and bale? how much do they want for their new wonder-kid? how much did town get for wright, dyer and bramble? this time last year Carroll had scored less that ten goals in the championship - so the price has to be right for town. personally i think he needs a couple of more years at this level then i would like to see him go to a BIG club not a Spurs or a Newcastle. Worcester_Worrier 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.

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Help added 12:18 - Feb 14 Is talk sport not part of Sky?? And I never heard keys quoting female friends after his sexist comments. Not really a story is it.
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paulnstar added 18:15 - Feb 14 agree with worcester worrier no one is going to pay 10 million for a championship player he has 2 goals and is just potential like garvan and bowditch were and we got 225,00 for nthe pair !!!!!!
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whippet added 05:52 - Feb 19 l
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whippet added 05:53 - Feb 19 ay
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whippet added 05:53 - Feb 19 your hands
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whippet added 05:54 - Feb 19 off wickham
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