Town boss Paul Jewell has revealed that he is releasing central defender Ibrahima Sonko at the end of the season. However, midfielder Grant Leadbitter’s situation is still up in the air despite the Blues manager’s conversation with owner Marcus Evans earlier this week and a lengthy chat with the player yesterday, while Tommy Smith is set to sign a new deal.

Jewell said: “I have released Sonko. He’s been a terrific pro, a really good lad around the club. He came in at a time when we were struggling with centre-halves and always gave his best.

“He’s rubbed off on a lot of young players here, he’s got a good attitude but unfortunately money is less prevalent at our club at all clubs in the Championship, I guess.

“And unfortunately for him, and one or two others, we have to make decisions on a) ability, b) on age and c) on wages.

“All these things are factors in the offering or not offering of contracts. He’s a really positive person Sonks and it was a tough decision, but they’re all tough decisions when you release people.”

Sonko has been unable to break back into the side recently with Smith re-establishing himself during the second half of the season. Jewell says the New Zealand international is set to put pen to paper on a new contract: “His agent rang me yesterday and he thinks that will get done. I haven’t spoken to Tommy about that.

“I think he’s done really well and he’s only 22. He’s a good professional, he’ll get better, so I think he’s deserved it.”

As for Leadbitter, Jewell has relented on the deadline he set at the end of last week having talked to the 26-year-old yesterday: “I spoke at length with Grant and it’s a big decision for Grant. We had a conversation for a good hour about where I see Ipswich Town.

“I was hoping that we could have a decision one way or the other, but I had such a long conversation with him yesterday and he expressed the importance of the decision for him, he gets married in June, so he’s got an awful lot on his plate.

“It’s a big, big decision for him and he wants to make sure that ambition-wise, career-wise the next one’s the right one for him.

“We both agreed that it wouldn’t have been so long ago that I might have thought it would have been best that he should move on and he might have felt the same, but I think the last couple of months have changed our minds.

“He’s been one of our best players and he’s shown what he’s capable of in the last couple of months of the season and seems a lot happier in himself because of that.

“All of a sudden he’s got a big, big decision to make and at this stage of the season.

"Rather than force him into a corner, a week’s probably not going make a lot of difference, but we do need to know by the end of the season, it won’t drag on past the end of the season.”

Meanwhile, Jewell says talks are ongoing with Lee Bowyer regarding a new contract on reduced terms with the same the case with Jason Scotland, who recently waived a clause in his previous deal an indication that he’s likely to stay, while no decision has been made on Richard Wright and Cody Cropper.

The Town boss says there are no new developments on loanee Daryl Murphy, who he is keen to sign from Celtic on a permanent basis, while he expects youngster Callum Bennett to leave the club having turned down his contract.

Sheffield Wednesday are amongst a number of clubs interested with the Blues entitled to compensation when the right-back, who has been at the club since he was seven, moves on.

Photo: Action Images

pennblue added 13:45 - Apr 20 Leadbitter is giving Jewell and Evans the right run around lol
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Tiggs added 13:46 - Apr 20 And another Jewell signing bites the dust. What a surprise!!!!!! When will people on here wise up?
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Keaneish added 13:49 - Apr 20 Interesting. Does this mean we're confident of landing someone already? Pearce maybe? Is Ainsley to play a bigger part next season? The only other surprise is that Bowyer's been offered a contract. Thought he was as good as gone.
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Garv added 13:52 - Apr 20 I would have released Bowyer but if he can get his act together he can be a useful squad member. He has had good games as well as bad this season. But recently he has been pretty craaap.
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Garv added 13:55 - Apr 20 Shame about Sonko. He's a warrior!
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tractorboy2434 added 13:56 - Apr 20 Giving Bowyer another contract, what planet are they on, shows a complete and utter lack of ambition, because he will take up a space which should go to one of the younger players, just what must Luke Hyam think, confirmation that this club is run by muppets. Glad I have decided not to renew my 3 seats.
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muhrensleftfoot added 14:01 - Apr 20 Not surprised by any of this, except possibly Bowyer, who in fact did say a week or two ago that he just wants to play football, and money is not important. I suppose if you've got a few million in the bank it's easy to say that! He's looked off the pace recently. Bit like Mark Kennedy - very good a few years ago, but past it now.
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lscooper23 added 14:04 - Apr 20 I think giving Bowyer a new contract is a good thing, he has experience and that is vital if we want to be promoted next season! We can not just say lets get young players cos we need a good blend! He is a useful and strong head to have around the club!!!
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 14:04 - Apr 20 Just jog on leadbitter. If u had wanted to stay at this club, you would have jumped at the chance to sign like Edwards. Use his wages for youth and hunger.
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DanLyles added 14:05 - Apr 20 Jason Pearce and Sean St Ledger please PJ
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itfc1981 added 14:05 - Apr 20 Bowyer! what are you doing Jewell, he's so over the hill.
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cwb91 added 14:07 - Apr 20 Bowyer has been more or less a dreadful signing. He's on an awful lot of money I'd guess, and quite honestly he hasn't delivered. Age is catching up with him - he's second to most balls, surprisingly subdued in the tackle, all summed up, by his complete inability to pass a football to a team mate. Quite how he earned an England cap, and stayed in the PL virtually his whole career is beyond me. At a critical point where sensible wages are paramount. Even on reduced terms its too much. He should be playing for free after his disgusting performance at Burnley. Never recovered Please let him go

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Blue041273 added 14:07 - Apr 20 There's nothing here to suggest that the club are prepared to improve it's contract offer to GL. That being the case I can't see him re-signing now; if he was truly committed to staying he would have signed by now, or at least given PJ a signal that he seriously wanted to be a part of the future of this team. It's all very well keeping his options open but in reality his plans must be finalised by now and he must surely realise that he is just messing PJ about with this continued prevarication.

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BartsGreatBeard added 14:15 - Apr 20 im gutted sonko is going one of my fave players no nonsense defender who gave 100 percent everytime he put our shirt on would rather him around the club then bowyer
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Hungry_Badger added 14:16 - Apr 20 To many maybe's im afraid. GL obviously isnt comitied to this club otherwise he would have signed ages ago, we want players who want to play for us. Also PJ needs to get some nuts, he was saying last week that he needs to make a decision by monday and now hes given him another week. I really hope PJ doesnt play him at the weekend!
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buryblue77 added 14:17 - Apr 20 Hopefully he wont be needed in the final few games, I can't see him giving much effort now as he knows he wont be here, could be costly to make this decision/announcement so early and now we only have 2 other central defenders so I'm assuming Jewell has some replacements lined up.
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Wickets added 14:43 - Apr 20 Agree with Sonko decision but a new retirement contract for Bowyer when money is tight?? OPPS
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elmswellblue added 15:07 - Apr 20 Come on PJ smell the coffee, Bowyer is the last person I would want in my squad. Get someone who is hungary for the game, wants to play for Ipswich and has a good engine. How many games would he play next season and as someone who has already said with the money you are paying him you could get 2 players in.
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Millsey added 15:31 - Apr 20 Just hope the so called supporters who haven't renewed their seaon tickets refrain from talking cr#p on here next season!!!!!!
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WarkOn added 15:36 - Apr 20 Now then PJ: You've only got enough money to keep one of Bowyer or Sonks - so which do you choose? Here's some blindingly obvious guidance: Option 1: Sonks provides good backup in an area we are desperately short of cover in and can score vital goals from set pieces. Option 2: Bowyer is completely past it and has given us nothing since he came here, and plays in the one area of the field we actually have a reasonable amount of options in. So which have you chosen? And you wonder why we get frustrated with your management... So instead, let's get hyper-keen youngsters up through the ranks playing with one or two older heads who can still perform on the pitch - i.e lead by example on the day (which Bowyer can't). PJ : What sort of message does putting a clapped out midfielder ahead of young, talented, keen alternatives send to Hyam? Your decisions are baffling most of the time.

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Ryorry added 15:40 - Apr 20 Just want to record how sorry I am that Sonko is going, he came in when we desperately needed a fighter in the pozzy and did a mostly fantastic job for us - remember how we always seemed to get a result when he played, and a defeat when he didn't back in the dark days? Our league place at season end would have been a helluva lot worse if we hadn't had him, think he's been unlucky to lose out now. I'd rather we kept him than Bowyer, who really is past it. Well done Sonks, all the best and thanks, hope you find another club, good luck in future.

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buryblue77 added 15:46 - Apr 20 @Warkon, maybe the likes of Hyam could learn something from Bowyer, Hyam has looked erratic at times and isn't too creative, whereas Bowyer has looked better coming off the bench than when he starts so in my mind is a good sub option. @Ryorry, I don't know who you were watching but Sonko was in the team when everything was going wrong, Smith and Delany look a lot more solid than the supposedly more established players that was the Sonko/Collins partnership. At times Sonko has looked downright dodgy and has cost us on a few occasions, all credit to Delany and Smith, they are two of the most improved players this season.

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Bergholtblue added 15:49 - Apr 20 I wonder if GL had committed himself to the club whether LB would have been offered a new contract. If the terms are affordable for us, then Bowyer would be a good back up to have at the club. I worry about Bullard. An expensive player to keep if he doesn't even get to sit on the bench each week.
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HARRY10 added 15:55 - Apr 20 We pick up Readings discards (Sonko and Ingi), we finish lower half they get promoted Says it all really if not, this does "unfortunately money is less prevalent at our club "
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Michael11 added 15:59 - Apr 20 Big thanks to Sonko, came in at a tough time and for the first month or two was brilliant! time to let go of the ellingtons and bowyers now....good news about tommy smith hes done great since christmas!
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