TWTD understands former Blues youngster Liam Gibbs’s move to Norwich City will be confirmed once the clubs have agreed compensation.

We understand the 18-year-old will sign a long-term deal with the Canaries after compensation has been set. Discussions between the clubs are ongoing with the Blues expected to receive a figure which is likely to be somewhere around the £500,000 mark.

If the clubs are unable to come to an accord, then the matter will go to a tribunal with Norwich confirming his signing while the issue remains ongoing.

As reported a fortnight ago, last-gasp talks between Town and Gibbs broke down on June 30th, the final day of his existing Blues deal, the club having offered a new contract late last year.

TWTD revealed in January that Gibbs was yet to sign the new terms offered by Town with his contract up this summer and no one-year option included in his previous deal.

While the midfielder, who made his League One debut in the home game against Charlton last season, was keen to stay at Portman Road, he was unwilling to commit to the deal as it stood, although we understand the two parties weren’t too far apart.

Norwich had long been keeping an eye on the Bury St Edmund-based youngster’s situation and were the long-time frontrunners for his signature, while Leeds, Brighton, Rangers and Southampton were among the other clubs to have previously shown interest.

As the end of his contract drew closer, the club made no new overtures as other interested clubs monitored the situation before the deadline-day talks.

In addition to his one League One appearance for the Blues, Gibbs, who was one of the stars of Town’s U18s’ FA Youth Cup run, also made two EFL Trophy starts and one sub appearance.

Photo: Matchday Images

bluesteel added 13:42 - Jul 14 what is the point of the academy if we can't take advantage of any talented players it produces? cook can't work with young talent so shut it down and spend the money on more crud
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tractorboybig added 13:45 - Jul 14 a young lad offered premier league club or third tier, not much of a brainer. also a local lad to norwich.
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north_stand77 added 13:57 - Jul 14 Tractorboybig, Bury St Edmundx is not local to Norwich.
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MaySixth added 14:04 - Jul 14 He will never play for them.
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BildestonBlue added 14:19 - Jul 14 Something about this situation stinks, we are paying for and signing championship players yet we cant keep hold of a youngster with zero experiance? must be more to this one and to be honest if youngesters are demanding unreasonable terms then let them go because at this level we need dedication to the cause. i wish him a long and succesful career but its just sad to see so many of these youngsters making demands before actually proving and ability and consistancy in the 1st team.

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Barty added 14:21 - Jul 14 All the best Liam but the scuff ffs
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Barty added 14:22 - Jul 14 All the best Liam but the scum ffs
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ernie added 14:25 - Jul 14 A low point in our illustrious history.
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blue_mist added 14:26 - Jul 14 From what I've read here and heard on Blue Monday etc. he wanted to stay his parents wanted to stay but he was only offered the absolute minimum academy contract. And wasn't made to feel wanted. We might be a buying club at the moment but we seem to be letting talent we already have slip through our fingers. Other people are questioning some of the man management at the club... Surprised academy and U23 staff didn't put up more of a fight to keep him.

2

Powrigan added 14:27 - Jul 14 If he is so good, why couldn't he get into the worst Ipswich team ever?
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:29 - Jul 14 A bit of a downer after all the positive news we've had lately. Hope he does well, but not for Naarwich. We need Cat 1 status asap; otherwise, or Academy will always get left behind.
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Billericay12 added 14:34 - Jul 14 Good luck to him but he never shone like Dozzell (Jason), Dyer or Bramble at the same age. And that was when we were in the top division. Not saying he won't improve but far from guaranteed so 500k + possible future sell ons seems good to me.
2

oldelsworthyfan added 14:43 - Jul 14 If he was any good Cook would have kept him, assuming Cook would have had a better idea of his ability/potential than Norwich have.. Let's move on from this.
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WeWereZombies added 14:48 - Jul 14 It's Ruel Fox all over again...
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BlueArrow added 15:04 - Jul 14 Hope he takes a comfy cushion with him.
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abandon_hope1978 added 15:08 - Jul 14 Seen this all before. Young player leaves for bigger and better future but if they're weren't even on 1st team bench last season when we were dreadful, how will they get into a premier or championship side? Sadly I think he's destined for U23 football wherever he goes and loan spells in non league then end up if lucky back in division 1 or 2. Hopefully he'll prove me wrong.

3

Linkboy13 added 15:52 - Jul 14 Bryan Klug says he not physically ready for senior football . As they say in football he's not a bad little player but that's the problem at the moment. Can't see him getting much game time at Norwich for a long time. Probably drift around club to club on various loans.
1

ringwoodblue added 16:12 - Jul 14 No good crying over spilled milk. This one has gone (or as good as) but we need to ensure that we maximise the development or value of our academy players going forward as this is a huge area of investment for the club and we must get a good return on it otherwise what's the point? Letting excellent young players who have the potential to step up to the first team in a few years is a massive missed opportunity.

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Bluewelshman added 16:26 - Jul 14 We don't know the details of this contract saga. It could be he doesn't want to stay at town for some reason; maybe he believes he's outgrown the club. It could be he believes he's worth more money based on his extensive experience in the U23's, despite some of his teammates happily agreeing terms (who he must feel are of inferior to him). Maybe he has always dreamed of playing in yellow & green (can't imagine why). Or maybe Cook doesn't think his character fits into the squad, after all he seemed determined to leave, even though Ipswich put a lot of effort into coaching him up to his current level & skill to earn a chance to get offered Town contract (something all of us would dream of). Lets face it this player is not going to be ours, may or may not turn out be a Scum first team player, or even some League 1 or 2 player in 3 years when his lucrative deal ends. As far as I'm concerned he seems to want to leave Town and head up the road to become one of them, good riddance! He is not the reincarnation of Maradona for Christ sake, he's an 18 year old boy who wants Premier money and will stick two fingers up at us Town fans while he sits in Naaarwich Reserves counting his cash. I'd rather have players here who will fight for the club, the shirt, and the fans, and that's that. COYB

5

markchips added 16:29 - Jul 14 Whilst disappointing and with a sensible sell on Clause inserted £500k gets us Crooks and Celina. Based on this , is it not a purely commercial decision. Ashton is running the recruitment process as a business and it will be interesting to see, with a much smaller squad, if we actually are worse off come transfer deadline finish time, I suspect not.
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bluesman added 16:40 - Jul 14 If he doesn't want to be here you should be wondering why Vanmutt
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Upthetown1970 added 16:46 - Jul 14 Linkboy your quote from Klug was said when he was an u16 so totally irrelevant now. Gilmore is slighted and smaller than Gibbs and has been given a chance at Chelsea so again a comment regarding some ones size is irrelevant.
1

Pencilpete added 16:55 - Jul 14 If he was offered an academy contract same as all the others and he turned it down then all i can assume is that the 1 First Team appearance he made has turned him into billy big b0llocks in whih case he can do one along with Flynn Downes who also clearly thinks he is better than us ... although in 5 seasons has never actually proven it.
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BlueBlood90 added 16:56 - Jul 14 If it means we have the funds to sign Crooks then that will soften the blow slightly. I'd wish Liam Gibbs well but I'd be lying. I don't wish anyone well at that club.
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therein61 added 16:57 - Jul 14 Good luck to you Liam, i look forward to seeing you represent the yo yo club in the Championship next season.
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