Ward to Move in Next Few Days
Tuesday, 15th May 2012 11:21

Portsmouth administrator Trevor Birch expects Town target Joel Ward to leave Fratton Park in the next few days. Contrary to reports last week, Birch says Leeds isn’t necessarily his destination with the Blues and Burnley also having held talks, and Crystal Palace linked.

Birch, who has received no offers for any other Pompey player, said: “Joel Ward will be the next to go but I am not certain of the timescale on that. That is progressing. I would have thought something should be happening in the next few days.

“It is not necessarily going to be Leeds. He has met a few other clubs in total and has been talking things over with them. We are waiting to see what the outcome will be.”

Town have been targeting Ward, who will reportedly leave his hometown club for a fee of £450,000, since January when he was one of three Pompey players they were chasing.

Offers were accepted for Ward and keeper Stephen Henderson, who is now with West Ham, but the moves broke down over personal terms. A bid for central defender Jason Pearce was turned down and the former Bournemouth man recently moved to Leeds. Pearce and Ward are close friends, which may be what has led to speculation that the Whites are frontrunners for the latter’s signature.

According to reports in Yorkshire, Leeds boss Neil Warnock is hopeful that he can complete two signings, believed to be Ward and Derby’s Paul Green, before the end of the week.

Blues manager Jewell, who signed out-of-contract midfielder Green from Doncaster when he was at Pride Park, has played down his interest in the 29-year-old Irish international.

Ward, 22, played under Burnley boss Eddie Howe during a spell on loan at Bournemouth in 2008/09 while the Clarets manager was in charge of the Cherries.

Meanwhile, sources in the North-East continue to link departing Blue Grant Leadbitter with a summer Bosman switch to Middlesbrough, as has been reported since March.

Photo: Action Images

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rosseden added 21:34 - May 15

Buryblue77 - i like the sentiment in this statement 'Now is not the time to fully embrace FFP, now is the time to invest whilst we still can if we really do want to go up.'

But lets think about it, theres no 'we' about it, its Marcus Evans' money, not ours, if it comes down to 'our' cash, then FPP is all we can hope for as the cash the club gets from us under those rules, it can spend...... If, as a club, we go hell for leather and try to get up, (it actually works out about 10 clubs are doing the same), 10 into 3 doesnt go, so theres a 7/10 chance we wont do it, and then have un-serviceable debts and probably end up in administration again.

Lets be real, our best chance is building a young ish squad and when the FPP rules kick in properly, being solid and ready to push on, after all, there will be at least 7 clubs dismantling teams/squads and what not as they fall apart after chasing the dream.......

Langdon_Blue added 21:49 - May 15

With Jewell on holiday and Clegg planning for his Olympic job, it makes me wonder whether ITFC are even interested in signing players this early in the close season....are the club willing to pay £5-£8k a week for a player to sign and then immediately go on holiday for two months prior to the pre-season starting. At a cost of around £50,000-£60,000 per new signingp before they even kick a ball, it does make you think...

billlm added 21:53 - May 15 langdon blue i doubt when done and dusted you will be to far out.then we will be left with the dregs
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RichOBlue added 21:56 - May 15 Changing the subject Jordan Rhodes just got his 40th goal of the season!! Actually makes me feel physically sick!!
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abbeyblue added 23:14 - May 15

I think it is highly unlikely that Ward will join Town.

To compete next season, we are going to need to bring in players who really want to join the club. This will probably rule out any high profile (and expensive options) but I would rather have us target players from the Championship and/or Div 1 if they turn out to be as good as Cresswell has been.

I have heard from a Cardiff supporter that Heaton is a good keeper so I think he would be better option, possibly along with others, than Joe Lewis.

Whatever happens, the club needs to identify and sign up potential targets much more quickly this time round.