Perhaps inevitably, Liverpool are reportedly set to match Sunderland’s £8 million offer for Town striker Connor Wickham. The Reds have been eyeing the 18-year-old for some while with their director of football strategy Damien Comolli at the Hull City match in February.

Liverpool, the club the England U21 international supported as a boy, were recently erroneously claimed to have made a bid for Wickham but are clearly showing serious interest, while Blues boss Paul Jewell was said to be keen to sign youngsters such as former Charlton midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on loan as part of any proposed deal with the club where he was a youth and reserves player.

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is now reportedly ready to firm up his interest with Spurs and Arsenal also believed to be eyeing the situation.

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.

Meanwhile, Wickham’s Town reserves and academy strike partner Ronan Murray is a loan target of Colchester United, according to rumours circulating amongst U’s supporters.

Town boss Paul Jewell said in April that he’d like a number of the club's younger players, such as Murray and midfielder Luke Hyam, to go out on loan to lower league sides when the new season starts.

Elsewhere, former Blue Richard Naylor is said to be a target of Doncaster Rovers having been released by Leeds at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

blue_em_away added 13:21 - Jun 23 I think we should sell at a min of 10mil with only a loan back deal, otherwise jog on prem clubs. If it is 10mil and a loan, add ons should be, 2mil if the buying club gets in the champions league next season, 2.5mil after 1st senior Englang cap and a 15% sell on fee. That would bring us a total of 19mil if he moves on for 30mil.
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sotd78 added 14:26 - Jun 23 Sometimes I wonder whether the people on here who comment actually watch games. There have been games this last season when we have moved Wickham from the wing to the middle to replace our £2m plus strikers who are useless and that has made dramatic differences. Wickham is still a lad - still growing and won't stop growing until he is 21. At that age he will start to come into his own. At 18 he is a raw talent - whether that talent gets honed in the Championship (to our benefit) or at a Premiership Academy with Premiership reserve games and high-intensity training from a barrage of coaches is really a moot point. If Wickham stays fit and plays for us he will be worth £15m by season end. The debate for player and us as a club is whether we take that chance or cash in at half the value now. £8m is peanuts - would not go that far and won't be paid in anything less than instalments. I'd like to see Wickham stay - he is the one player who everyone will get excited to see. And God knows we need some sort of excitement at Portman Road

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Mr_Evans added 17:46 - Jun 23 £10,000,000 with a 15% sell on clause AND loaned back for a season would be the right deal.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:40 - Jun 23 10 million plus a good sell on clause plus appearances related fee plus England debut payout, sell, put this one to bed ASAP.
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BurleyForever added 20:41 - Jun 23 Now that Young has gone to Man. U Villa could make a good strong bid for Conner maybe 12 mil or more cause they would get a bargain as well as Conner getting regular games. Any chance we can get Boothroyd???????
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