TWTD understands that striker Brett Pitman and midfielder Kevin Bru have been told they can leave Town if they find themselves new clubs over the summer.

The duo have been unable to establish themselves as regulars this season with Bru making 16 starts and 12 sub appearances, scoring once, and Pitman netting four times in 14 starts and nine games from the bench. Both have a year remaining on their Town contracts.

Pitman, 29, joined the Blues in the summer of 2015 on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth following their promotion to the Premier League.

The one-time Bristol City frontman was last season’s top scorer on 11 goals but was again in and out of the starting XI.

In total Jersey-born Pitman has made 42 starts and 28 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring 15 times.

Bru, 28, signed for Town in the summer of 2014 after a trial having left Bulgarian side Levski Sofia.

The Paris-born Mauritius international has made 59 starts and 35 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring four goals.

That Bru and Pitman are being allowed to move on comes as no surprise with Town boss Mick McCarthy expecting a summer of change at Portman Road, viewing the close season as “a real opportunity to freshen [the squad] up”.

The Blues manager is keen to bring in a number of new players with the full-time recruitment of loan midfielder Emyr Huws from Cardiff City also among his summer plans, while we understand McCarthy is also keen to sign striker Dominic Samuel, who has been on loan from Reading, on a permanent basis.

Yesterday, out-of-contract central defender Christophe Berra’s departure was confirmed with various reports this morning claiming the 32-year-old Scotland international’s return to his hometown club Hearts will be confirmed in the next few days.

The Blues are also again linked with Hearts’ Scotland international right-back Callum Paterson, who was previously mentioned in connection with the Blues as part of a swap deal with Berra in January.

However, with Town keen to keep hold of short-term signing Jordan Spence and with Josh Emmanuel also at the club, a move for another right-back seems unlikely at this stage.

Photo: TWTD

Ferguson added 10:56 - May 10 Hmmm. This season Pitman just seemed off the pace for me. And I'll miss the Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu chant more than the player to be honest. Let's see what the replacements are like. And we need quality replacements at that.
12

12th_Man added 10:56 - May 10 Shame about Bru. Not fussed about Pitman (sh1tman)
-31

skusesrightpeg added 10:58 - May 10 Do not sign Dominic Samuel, absolute waste of money and wages
35

JackSted added 10:59 - May 10 I feel sorry for Pitman. I'd want to leave Ipswich too if Kieffer Moore was getting more playtime than me ffs
53

Matt_Portman added 10:59 - May 10 Surprised by Bru. Never going to be first team regular. But given you'd expect low wage demand as he was unattached then you'd think good squad option
8

cat added 11:00 - May 10 Surprised but not shocked on these two!! Looking positive in regards too the "major changes" which have been forecasted. Neither had the 'proper bloke' tag about them though, so good luck to the pair of them.
4

Menton added 11:00 - May 10 Bru was never the same after he lost his dog.
13

titanicclown added 11:00 - May 10 Pleased about this. Defintely time for Bru to move on and Pitman's performance against Derby was worthy of being sacked there and then.
-3

chorltonskylineblue added 11:01 - May 10 For me Pitman is a really good striker. He did well at Bournemouth because in the Championship they played good pass and move football with great movement in and around the box, as they showed against us when they were promoted. I did wonder why we signed him as at the time our football couldn't be further from that, but with Fraser and Maitlaid-Niles joining that summer too I thought maybe the tide was turning and that we were going to stop playing football in the clouds. I was wrong. But that doesn't change my view of Pitman. Good striker, wrong team. He will score goals in a better passing team than us, e.g. Fulham.

56

itfchorry added 11:08 - May 10 You can leave too McCarthy Absolutely ruined Pitman as you have with others.
24

TR11BLU added 11:08 - May 10 Best finisher at the club allowed to leave, more proof, if needed, that Dino hasnt got a clue. Good luck BP, I will remember him for some timely finishes to bag points late on. Will score goals at this level within a team who dont lump it long. Dino out
25

gloucester_tractor added 11:08 - May 10 Letting Bru good give a young Ipswich midfield player the chance to push for first team if only from the bench. Pitman has lost a yd and he was not quick in the first place. Got to create space in squad so we can recruit
3

dirtydingusmagee added 11:15 - May 10 McCarthy never got e best out of Pitman ,no surprise there, he has fail big time with Sears too.
23

goat_man added 11:19 - May 10 Bru was a better than MM allowed him to be.
4

IpswichTownNL added 11:21 - May 10 Actually think this is quite positive news. Both not good enough for a side that wants to compete in the Championship at the end of the day. Simple as that. Really hope we go for quality instead of quantity this summer.
2

theblueginger added 11:24 - May 10 Not surprised or gutted about either of these. Pitman is an oddity. He doesn't have the power or strength to be a target man, and he lacks the athleticism and work rate to play on shoulder. Personally i have never been a fan, and have found his attitude slightly annoying recently, especially at the Rotherham game when he vanished down the tunnel at FT after offering the square foot of FA for 90 minutes. Bru is an OK squad player, at least tries to be progressive with balls out to the flanks and some nice touches. Has had the odd great display but he is too inconsistent, can't tackle and never lasts 90 minutes. Looked best in a 3-man midfield. Neither player is a MM type, nor the sort of guy for a relegation battle, which at this rate is a realistic possibility. At this frees up some wages, s i would rather have a small squad of good players as we had 2013-15.

6

Simonds92 added 11:28 - May 10 Happy about Pitman. Massively overrated and must be earning a fair whack! Thinks he's big time and is probably an ok L1 striker.
-4

Michael11 added 11:29 - May 10 Pitman isn't quick enough or fit enough to play Championship football and Bru has never really kicked on after his first season, so I'm not disappointed to see either of them go. I only saw Dominic Samuel against Forest but he was absolutely woeful. He only hit the bar because his poor shot took a big deflection. After that, he did nothing else all game. Surely there's other players better than him that will be available.

3

loyal_Blue added 11:30 - May 10 Shame about bru, thought he was a good squad player. But happy that pitman is going, his whole attitude is awful and just seems to blame everyone else when anything happen. Don't think hes offered anything this year. No pace, no strength, no work rate and doesn't get the goals so happy to free up some wages
-1

ThatMuhrenCross added 11:34 - May 10 I'll be sorry to see Bru go, although it's probably the right decision. He was really good that year we made the play-offs, and I do think he has got an eye for a pass and something a bit different to offer. I'd really like to see him stay in English football and continue to follow his progress. Best of luck to both of them.
5

OsborneOneNil added 11:35 - May 10 Bet Skuse stays.........incredible.
3

braveblue added 11:35 - May 10 Keep the hoofball Chambers and the boring Skuse. Get rid of Bru who can play a bit and best finisher at the club. Sign Samuel who looks totally average. Big changes indeed!!!
10

Surco72 added 11:35 - May 10 Another 2 players MM couldn't get the best out of neither suit hoof ball football . We better have signings lined up as at present Pitman is the best finisher we have at the club as his stats show , Dids and Sears have maybe 10 between them in 70 plus games ? And Keiffer Moore is actually a laughable and embarrassing signing
10

blueshamrock added 11:35 - May 10 Hopefully anouther 16 or so will be leaving with them, not many deserve to be kept based on the sham that was last Season
4

prebsa added 11:37 - May 10 Not sure these are the types of players we should be getting rid of. Good squad players and if we played the right football they would perform better. There are other players in their positions that should be going first!
12

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls