Town are reportedly set to offer striker Dean Bowditch a new deal. The 21-year-old's current contract is up at the end of June, but boss Jim Magilton is reluctant to allow the former England U19 leave the club, despite failing to win a first team place last season.
Magilton had been expected to release the former Burnley, Wycombe, Northampton and Brighton loanee along with Spanish full-back Sito, but revealed earlier in the month that he would speak to Bowditch about his future: "Dean has not been offered a new contract but I will sit down and have a heart to heart with him, look him in the eye and see where his ambitions lie.â€Â
Bowditch has always been highly rated by the Town management with first team coach Bryan Klug, the Harlow-born striker's mentor in his academy days, telling TWTD during the 2006/07 season: "Dean was without doubt one of the most talented players we've had through our academy. I struggle to think of a more talented technical player, but technical players find it more physical when it comes to the first team and the Championship.
â€ÂI think Dean has had problems adjusting to that and in my opinion has tried to become a player playing a different style and not being what Dean Bowditch is: a technical player who plays as much as he can without contact. If he loses that ability to find space and get in between people, he's not as good a player and because of that he has lost a lot of confidence.â€Â
Bowditch is likely to be given another year in which to prove himself at Portman Road.