Sunderland look likely to have begun the expected summer bidding war for Connor Wickham by offering the Blues an initial £8 million for the 18-year-old striker. Other clubs are almost certain to follow suit with Liverpool, Spurs and the rest of the Premier League’s bigger clubs having been keeping an eye on the Hereford-born frontman since his days in Town's Playford Road academy.

The Black Cats’ offer, the first Town have received for the England U21 international, is understood to include clauses which will take the fee beyond £10 million if achievement and appearance clauses are triggered.

Sunderland have been interested in Wickham for some while, manager Steve Bruce making an audacious but unsuccessful four-man swap offer involving Grant Leadbitter, Carlos Edwards, Dean Whitehead and Daryl Murphy two years ago shortly after his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane took over at Portman Road.

Even if Town accept the bid, which they would appear certain not to do with so many other parties interested, Wickham is unlikely to join Sunderland with Blues boss Paul Jewell saying in March that one-time Reading academy schoolboy would only be interested in moving to one of the Premier League’s bigger clubs.

The Wearsiders firming up their interest is likely to lead to other clubs following suit with Liverpool, erroneously reported to have made a bid earlier in the month and the side Wickham supported as a boy, probably the favourites to eventually land the striker.

Wickham is contracted to the Blues until 2014 and while Town are not actively looking to sell, it’s believed there is a clause in the youngster’s deal which means he can talk to another club if they make an offer at a set level, believed to be somewhere between £10 million and £15 million.

Photo: Action Images

churchmans added 02:21 - Jun 22 you a dreamer i used to think like that but until we become BIG then players wont want to leave and besides i think evans is a bit tight!! if he was that flush and wanted us up there quick then why didnt he get bullard in?? 45k a week wages wouldnt matter to us if we got in the prem!! hes money at end of day and he will do what he wants with it! interesting fact i read the suffolk magazines top 100 millionaires and he came 5th

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bobble added 03:48 - Jun 22 i see in the press they reckon rangers are interested surely he wouldn't go north to the toy-town league? then again 10 million is a lot of money
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Keaneish added 04:46 - Jun 22 I'd consult Doctor Evil on this one and get his take on a pricing policy.
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DiamondGezzer added 05:48 - Jun 22 As stated, win win situation. But you have to admit, the money must be tempting [ in a Dyer type situation ]. Still, if true, I'm sure PJ will do what's best for ITFC.
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itfcjc added 06:38 - Jun 22 We don't have to sell so Connor should stay for now I would accept 15 million up
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dundeebloo added 06:48 - Jun 22 More Phil rubbish no substance just more speculation
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dundeebloo added 06:48 - Jun 22 More Phil rubbish no substance just more speculation
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dundeebloo added 06:48 - Jun 22 More Phil rubbish no substance just more speculation
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KirbyStriker added 06:49 - Jun 22 Hopefully Spurs will join with a 10mil plus Gio doa Santos bid?
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theblueginger added 07:00 - Jun 22 11-12 million please. Well probably end up with colback. Jewell, get back on the phone to billy sharp again, but before we sell, else the price will as usual go up.
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floridaboy added 07:04 - Jun 22 There are some poor deluded fools on here. Stop raving about a kid who as far as I am concerned have proved absolutely nothing. Yes he scored a hattrick last season (Bowditch did it as well) and scored a very good goal against a very poor Sheff U side but there is absolutely no proof he is the so called great English prospect every seems to be banging on about. If he is as good as a few on here reckon why did he not get a game for the U21s who were unable to score goals but the messiah stayed on the bench. If Town can get £10m to £12m for him take it please and use on getting a few more experienced players in. Personally I would start with Chopra and Ellington in August. Both know how to score goals in this division and with the right service will score plenty next season

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pazelle added 07:32 - Jun 22 £15 million not a penny less or I quit football.
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RetroBlue added 07:56 - Jun 22 It IS inevitable that Connor will be leaving . The question is "when" and for "how much". If I was Town and Connor , Id be looking for another season playing for us via a season long loan back as part of the deal.CW hasnt even had a full season in the 1st team yet and he sure as hell wont be automatic choice at any prem club he joins. I would also say that a move in the end will suit all parties , because until he goes this Connor Wickham "circus" of media / club interest is only going to get bigger -detracting US from the task in hand- to get promoted!....however if CW decided to stay ( as well he could easilty do , whatever the offer Town accept), he could find himself playing in the Prem with ITFC next season! Whatever happens , Town will only "gain" from either having the next best prospect to hit the English game for many years, or from cashing in on him. If Town decide the latter, its in our hans as to how much we can screw these big time chariles for . Its about time Town wwere on the recieving end of some well fleeced transfer income fee, instead of being the ones fleeced !!

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RetroBlue added 07:59 - Jun 22 I laso meant to add for CW's eyes more than anything. If he seriously wants to leave us now for a Big Prem, side , maybe he shoudl ponder what will inevitably mean, by looking at how he felt being stuck on the bench in the U21 tournament - becaue that would be the weekly event for him at hos new "big club" and for a good couple of years. So think on Connor,think on son !

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froudy added 08:00 - Jun 22 Agreed RetroBlue, but £6m for Bramble? Who was fleeced then?!
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brogansnose added 08:22 - Jun 22 Inevitable that he will go but personnaly i would love to see him here for another season before he leaves us for the ' Holy Land'.
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BluePhilG added 08:38 - Jun 22 People need to be realistic about this! This guy is unproven, even at Championship Level, in my opinion. The Championship Top Scorer went for £3.5m ! Who would pay 10 or 12 mil for Connor on that basis? Sure he PROBABLY has a great future, but any fee will surely be based heavily on appearances and various other milestones. I'd be happy to see him go for as little as £6m if there were various add-ons that meant that could rise to £10m, with a decent sell-on clause.

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comeonthegoodtimes added 08:38 - Jun 22 Have to say if there was a bit of around the 12million mark i would seriously consider it as lets look at the states : unproven striker who hasn't actually has a full season under his belt. Injury prone We all said after dean Bowditich's hattrick against Watford that he was the next best thing? what happened there. I know there are alot of people out there saying he is going to be quality which i hope he is but look at it the other way. If he has a poor season and doesn't become the player we all think he will be, How much do you think we will be offered next year? Not being negative but at this stage in his and ITFC's stituation are we really in a postion to turn down 12million+ your a 17 year old? Just think what we could do with that money. I'm thinking we could buy 3-4 top quality players for this league and also proven aswell. Just like to add, I hope Conner isn't a flop and goes on to become a England Great. I just feel that if that's the kind of money on the table we would be silly not to consider it seriously. Plus if he does become a great we always have the bragging right to say he started at our club. but like they all say, I'm sure PJ will do whats right, as these comments are all our own opinions. COYB

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Karlosfandangal added 08:45 - Jun 22 BBC gossip section has the story and they have got the story from the Daily Mail The Mail are saying Sunderland have bid 10 million but it's will fail as Ipswich want 12 million and Wickham has told friends he wants to go to Liverpool he is Bruces number one target this summer after the sale of Henderson Why would Wickham sign a new contract less than a year after dugong another contract if he was so he'll bent on leaving Ipswich More paper talk trying to sell papers

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Karlosfandangal added 08:49 - Jun 22 Signing not dugong !!!!!!!!!!
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comeonthegoodtimes added 08:54 - Jun 22 Karlosfandangal - I believe clubs give players a bigger contract as they know they are hot property and other clubs will want to buy them, good bit of business from ITFC there i believe as if Conners contract were to run out then i guess he could just sit on the last year of his contract and go on a free in the summer. This way of getting him on a longer contract means that if he does decide to sign for another club at least we get something out of it.

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suffolkpoker added 09:12 - Jun 22 i really like wickham as a player, would love him to stay. Anything over £10mil i would snap there hands off. PJ seems shrewd with his signings he has made. He hasnt spent £2m yet but we have got some decent players in. So with even a extra £5m in the pot, we would be pushing for promotion
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Karlosfandangal added 09:12 - Jun 22 Comeonthegoodtimes agree with you the club sign Connor to 2013 which would secure the big money if sold and I can see why 8 months later the offered a contract to 2014 but can see why Wickham would sign the second one if he really wants to leave Sunderland have just agree terms with a South Koren striker who will cost 2.2 million (eurosport) and Houghton is set to become the new manager of Birmingham but no stories about a Wickham bid I see the BBC gossip section also name the players who the new Chelsea boss is bring to the club yet Chelsea still have not name the boss ( officailly)

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blue added 09:15 - Jun 22 FOR THE FANS WE WANT HIM TO STAY FOR ATLEAST 1 YEAR. AFTER THIS YEAR WE GET INTO PREMIERSHIP AND YOU WILL BE WORTH ALOT MORE FELLA.
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Suzanna_Gekkaloys added 09:50 - Jun 22 Connor Sh*tham. Yeah, sell him. I've got more faith in a slightly larger than normal mouse scoring more goals than he would next season.
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