Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United All Reported to Be Chasing Wickham - Ipswich Town News

Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are all chasing Town striker Connor Wickham, according to a national newspaper, who refer to the Blues frontman as “the new Wayne Rooney”. A host of Premier League scouts have regularly been keeping an eye on 16-year-old Wickham since he was a schoolboy, as TWTD was first to report back in February.

Town are said to fear Wickham agreeing to join one of the big four or another Premier League side — Aston Villa having been linked earlier in the week — in January before he is able to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday on March 31st next year.

If any of the watching clubs do firm up their interest, Town would be in a position similar to the one in which Crystal Palace found themselves with John Bostock in 2008 when the Eagles academy schoolboy joined Tottenham, much to chairman Simon Jordan's annoyance.

The two clubs were unable to come to an agreement regarding a deal and a Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal, run by the PFA, set a fee of £700,000 for Bostock, plus add-ons rising in steps up to £1.25 million after he makes five, 10, 20, 30 and 40 appearances, another £200,000 on his full international debut and a 15% sell-on.

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