Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that the Blues have received an offer from Portsmouth for skipper Grant Leadbitter. TWTD was first to reveal Pompey’s interest in the 25-year-old midfielder last Thursday.

Jewell says the bid was turned down by the club before he was informed of its size and that talks continue with a view to extending the former Sunderland man’s contract beyond June next year: “Me and Grant have spoken on number of occasions and I don’t really want the situation we had last year where every week I come into the press conference and if it’s not Connor Wickham, it’s Gareth McAuley’s contract or David Norris’s contract.

“I’ve spoken with Grant about that. We’ve turned down an offer from Portsmouth, he knows that. I’ve told him that we want to give him a new contract. He’s happy to sit down but if that offer isn’t acceptable to him, I think in the long-term or the short-term we have to do something about it.

“I don’t want things dragging on,” Jewell continued, “I think he’s cool with that. We want to keep him, he wants to stay. If the owner can do a deal with his agent, we’re all happy. If he can’t, Grant knows the situation is that we might have to sell him. But we’re not looking to sell him, that’s for sure.”

Leadbitter would be available on a Bosman free transfer next summer and would be able to start talking to clubs regarding such a move from January.

Jewell revealed that the Blues and tomorrow’s opponents Southampton were both in for Burnley’s England U21 international striker or winger Jay Rodriguez earlier in the summer.

The Town boss says the Saints’ transfer business during the close season illustrates their intent in their first year back in the Championship: “They finished last season great and they’ve continued that.

“It shows their ambition that they’ve paid £600,000 for Jack Cork, they bid £5 million for Jay Rodriguez and Danny Fox [both from Burnley, signing the latter].

"Rodriguez is a player that we bid a lot of money for in the summer but were told that he wasn’t for sale unless it was £6 million.”

Jewell says Lee Martin is a slight doubt ahead of the visit by Nigel Adkins’s side, while Damien Delaney will be fine after his ankle problem, but that the Blues will again be without Ívar Ingimarsson due to his thigh strain: “Lee Martin has a little bit of a tight hamstring.

“Damien came through, he hadn’t trained all week and he was certainly tired by the end. Ívar’s going to be a couple of weeks at least.”

The Town manager said there is no news on the two bids he revealed at the weekend and the Blues appear unlikely to have any new central defensive cover in their squad for the Southampton.

Photo: Action Images

BROTHERBLUE1974 added 10:09 - Aug 15 I think take the money...
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casanovacrow added 10:09 - Aug 15 I'd sell, we got plenty of other 1 paced central midfielder's to choose from ..we are crying out for one that moves into space for other players and gets involved. hmmm sadly Bullard is out of our price range still on his wage
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Back_The_Boss added 10:12 - Aug 15 Well done Phil, you were right then!
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Basil_Smallpiece added 10:16 - Aug 15 If there is money on offer, then Leadbitter will be sold. The Invisible Man is broke and will take any cash going for his personal use. Leadbitter came to Ipswich a good player full of potential. He will leave Town an introverted pot-shooter, whose talents have gone to waste through lack of management. Jewell and Keano are equally culpable. A great pity. His departure will further ramp up the average age of the first team. Or Dad's Army, as they are unaffectionately known. CYB! FOG!

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the_gospel added 10:25 - Aug 15 Basil_Smallpiece - doesnt know much.
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casanovacrow added 10:32 - Aug 15 Basil ....Invisible man is up £115million from last year, far from broke
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footyblue added 10:35 - Aug 15 Glad we are not selling him as one of the better performers on saturday
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Lightningboy added 10:38 - Aug 15 Get rid now..he probably won't sign a new deal and would rather walk off for nothing next summer...SELL!
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dubblue added 10:44 - Aug 15 Glad at least PJ is not willing to let this drag out. It would probably be in everybody's interest that all parties make a decision sooner than later. Not sure if you would be a huge loss, but he has a lot of potential....
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brazil1982 added 10:47 - Aug 15 Where are Pompey finding this money from?
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jert16 added 10:52 - Aug 15 great news.. now tie the mans contract up! would love a centre half before tues but doesnt look likely.. dont feel confident with tommy smith at all at the moment.
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ncharles added 11:07 - Aug 15 Tommy may have been caught for the goal on Saturday but he wasn't the one trying to dribble the ball up the pitch! Grant should have demanded the ball off him. I take it that Andrews will be doing that from Tuesday onwards.
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bluewein added 11:31 - Aug 15 Id love to be as broke as ME.
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bluewein added 11:34 - Aug 15 Id love to be as broke as ME.
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OsborneOneNil added 11:35 - Aug 15 Sell. Brings nothing .
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sonian_blue added 11:44 - Aug 15 We should offer him a deal to ensure he stays and we dont want the farcical situation we had this summer with all the contracts up. Saints will rip our defence apart and must be rubbing their hands together. Ingimarsson is already looking like a big mistake. He looked good at Bristol but what is the point of a CB who only gives you a handful of games. You can score your way out of this league or you can be competitive with a solid central defensive pairing. We will not do the former and are doomed to fail in the latter. I sense another inconsistent mid table finish.

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taylor15 added 12:05 - Aug 15 lewis mcgucan anyone?
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onlybluesandhorses added 12:38 - Aug 15 Relaxed about the idea that he might go. If the fee is right let him go and get someone else in. Came on a big fee and presumably big wages neither of which have been justified albeit under crap management for 20 months. PJ, it is up to you.
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Mark added 12:57 - Aug 15 I am very surprised that the club rejected a bid without Paul Jewell being an integral part of taking that decision. A bid was rumoured, Jewell denied it, not he has had to come out and admit there was a bid, so that's a bit embarrassing. As for Leadbitter, he didn't exactly dominate the midfield Saturday and looks a very quiet captain. We can't afford to lose him for free though, in which case why have the club left it so late to start contract negotiations? We know these always take weeks and the transfer window closes in 16 days time!

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simonsays added 13:07 - Aug 15 Answer to Brazil's question on where they are finding the money - That will be from all the debts they wrote off!
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Tiggs added 13:24 - Aug 15 I'll volunteer to drive him!
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fifeblue added 13:26 - Aug 15 Er ... sixty quid and eight for the fruit bat.
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ITFC1985 added 13:46 - Aug 15 i wouldnt be disappointed if we sold him, hasnt really done anything since we signed him, looked the first half of his first season and then went completely off the boil and has never recovered. Goes missing in games only to pop up a speculative effort from 80 yards, get rid now so we can get some money back from what we paid!!
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bluelady added 13:50 - Aug 15 Mark but doesnt a club always turn down the first bid? it was probably something ridiculous knowing how Pompey operate so a no brainer to turn it down..... read that Jewell has spoken to Leadbitter a number of occasions about his situation, i assume but that it isnt cut and dried and is far from just a formality. If he wants to go lets get some good money and get in a decent playmaker.

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DiamondGezzer added 14:05 - Aug 15 Leadbitter wants to stay, club want him to stay, let's leave the negotiations to his agent and Town. Simples !
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