Sunderland have renewed their interest in Town striker Connor Wickham, according to one of this morning’s papers. The Black Cats are claimed to be ready to use some of the £16 million they have received from Liverpool for Jordan Henderson to make a £9 million offer for the Blues youngster.

Wearsiders boss Steve Bruce is a known admirer of Wickham and Sunderland have been mentioned in connection with the frontman fairly regularly over the last year.

However, several of today’s other papers claim Sunderland have opted against a move for the 18-year-old as they believe the Hereford-born striker is off to Liverpool with a £10 million Reds bid on the cards. A week ago, an £8 million Liverpool offer was widely reported to have been rebuffed by the Blues, although there is still no confirmation from either club.

Wickham himself would appear less likely to join the Black Cats in any case with Blues boss Paul Jewell saying in March that the England U21 international would only be interested in moving to one of the Premier League’s bigger clubs.

Having suffered a minor ankle knock in training with the England U21s in Denmark yesterday which saw him miss this morning's session as a precaution, Wickham will be hoping to win his fourth cap at that level on Sunday when Stuart Pearce’s side take on Spain in their opening group game in Viborg (Sky Sports One/HD1 4.30pm).

The English youngsters, of whom Wickham is the most junior and the only outfield player from a Championship club, subsequently face Ukraine next Wednesday and the Czech Republic on the following Sunday.

Photo: Action Images

bracknell_blue added 08:34 - Jun 10 Why would Connor want to go to Sunderland? They will finish mid-table at best next season. He will be better of staying for a year and then either we go up (unlikely but possible) or he can go to a top side for a bigger fee. Going to the Mackems won't help him in his career development.
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Ipswich24 added 08:35 - Jun 10 Rubbish stay here this season and lets have a strike force of Chops, Wickham and Sharp. If we dont get promoted then can leave for £15 million
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legoman added 08:36 - Jun 10 He wouldn't join that bunch of cowboys!
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ClassyIpswichLass added 08:46 - Jun 10 Of course I'd prefer him to stay with us for another year but moving to Sunderland isn't such a bad move - he's more likely to get regular matches with Sunderland and Ipswich are more likely to benefit from any sell-on clause if he goes there rather than Liverpool. Either way, we expect him to be off in the not to distant future so we should be happy for as much interest from other clubs as possible.

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el_nino added 08:47 - Jun 10 I actually think he'd be better off going somewhere like Sunderland where he'd get a better chance of regular 1st team football, rather than the likes of Liverpool where he'd be in the reserves. That's if he's desperate for Premiership football. Ultimately another season with us would be best though!
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bedsitfc added 08:48 - Jun 10 they wont spend the amount we want for him, they need experiance and as good as connor can be he aint there yet.
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HighgateBlue added 08:50 - Jun 10 The best case scenario is that he just doesn't want to go anywhere this year, and stays to help ITFC to promotion, increasing his value in the process. However, if he does want to go to the Prem now, he could do worse than going to a club like Sunderland, where he would actually get some games. Since Bent left they've been crying out for quality up front, and if they pay us £9m - £10m they won't have him sitting on the bench week in week out. But as I say, let's hope he stays. Wickham & Chops would be the most intriguing pairing we've had since Bent & Kuqi. Now let's sort out the defence!

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yorkshireblue added 08:51 - Jun 10 If it was me I would accept an offer from them consisting off £10 Million plus Colback & Kilgallon.
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JimmyJazz added 08:52 - Jun 10 Just as Darren Bent went to a then Prem Charlton, a move to Sunderland is much better than a move to Liverpool. He'd be in or around their first XI as their only other striker is Gyan
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streety86 added 08:56 - Jun 10 10 million to liverpool or spurs with a season loan back is a great option, we still keep the lad for one more year and have the funds to build a promotion chasing side around him
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Vexorg added 08:56 - Jun 10 Don't care where he goes. Take the money. All these injuries suggest he's the next Franny Jeffers or Dean Ashton ...
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Marshalls_Mullet added 09:07 - Jun 10 If he goes to Liverpool I doubt very much we would get him loaned back, they have a very thin line up in terms of strikers, so they would want to use him as a bench warmer for the first season, easing him into premiership football.
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Pessimistic added 09:08 - Jun 10 I think Town should bide their time unless Connor insists on moving which does not seem likely at this moment. His value will appreciate yet further if he gets more games for England's under 21's and starts the new league campaign in an Ipswich Shirt!
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JustSpivvyChops added 09:08 - Jun 10 """Don't care where he goes. Take the money. All these injuries suggest he's the next Franny Jeffers or Dean Ashton ...""" Vexorg, congrats on your appointment as the new village idiot.
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blueblood66 added 09:31 - Jun 10 Better here than there, Liverpool would make more sense although with Suarez and Carroll would only still be a back up. Stay here, team up with Chops score bags of goals became a legend then make the big move...
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clive_baker added 09:53 - Jun 10 Sunderland? HAHA good luck with that one. Must be about as attractive an option as cutting his balls off. Why would he go there when Liverpool are interested? Even if he did go to the north east then Newcastle would be the more attractive option.
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BwoodBlue added 10:24 - Jun 10 12 million and a season loan back. Done deal
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legoman added 10:56 - Jun 10 Sunderland will be relegated along with Norwich and Swansea so he stands more chance of Prem footy next season with us!
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Chicago_Blue added 11:00 - Jun 10 If players like Henderson and Jones are being sold for fees like £20m and £16, then Wickham, although unproven in the Prem of course, has to be in the £15m bracket surely?! - esp. considering he's a striker, which tends to add a bit on.
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Connors_Big_Toe added 11:06 - Jun 10 Above 12 million with the potental to rise to 17 million depending upon goals and international caps ect + sell on clause and season loan back. That is for this season. If we keep him it all becomes dependent upon what league we end up in. But chopra and wickham could make a good strike partnership. My worrie is that we are being linked with all these good players but they will take time to gell. Well it is early days in the close season if we can sign them early hopefully we will start that at the beginnng of pre-season. Just dont expect too much!!! Saying that I feel quietly optomistic for next season we are showing real intent. I still think we need an expearenced player to hold in the midfield, to boss a Derry charcter. Someone like......John Eustace form Watford or David Edgar (less expearenced) i think he could do a job there or James Harper form Hull. He knows what it takes to get out of this leage has done it with Reading. Tell me what you think?? I know it is a bit off topic of wickham mooving but anyway....

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ldnj added 12:39 - Jun 10 They can up their fee by an extra £1.5m by the looks of it to try and win him as the Chopra fee looks like it could go to them - so then Ipswich get Chopra for "free" !
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Fatboy added 13:22 - Jun 10 If Town are after a season-long loan back, as has been suggested many times on this site, it is unlikely that this would happen if Wickham went to Sunderland. It seems more likely that he would go to one of the "bigger" Premier League clubs, with Liverpool seemingly the first to lay their cards on the table. With Wickham having grown up as a Reds fan and Jewell being a scouser who started his playing career at Liverpool, some sort of deal doesn't seem to be out of the question.

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DiamondGezzer added 13:25 - Jun 10 If memory serves, no-one has made any offers yet, just paper talk.
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whoppit added 13:34 - Jun 10 Let's be honest here. Any club in the Premier League would be attractive to Connor. The alternative? Spending the next 5 years hovering around the mid table of the Championship with us !!!!
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jas0999 added 16:48 - Jun 10 So within a week we are now talking £9M instead of £8M. I suspect another million will do it. It will become increasingly difficult to retain Connor. With Chopra signed up, possibly Priskin and Wickham to leave - it proves to be a busy few weeks ahead as no doubt PJ is looking for another striker.
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