Town boss Roy Keane has dismissed claims that the loans of Tottenham pair Andros Townsend and Jake Livermore are related to a wider deal which will eventually see star striker Connor Wickham join Harry Redknapp’s club. The Blues are understood to have rebuffed offers of up to £8 million from Spurs for the highly-rated 17-year-old during the summer.
Since Livermore joined Townsend at Portman Road last week, various reports have claimed their moves will eventually see Wickham on his way to White Hart Lane in a future transfer window, something Keane was quick to rubbish: "It’s nonsense, absolute nonsense.
"If you think that’s part of the deal for us getting young boys in, you don’t know me that well. We don’t need to work that way, we don’t have to work that way.”
Midfielder Livermore could make his Town debut at Reading this evening, having been on the bench at Scunthorpe on Saturday.
Keane says he has been impressed with the 20-year-old in training: "Jake’s a good lad and he’s clearly a very good player. But, as with any player I sign, he knows he's got to work hard to get in the team.
"He’s only been here a few days but we’re delighted with him. He’s got a good attitude, has a nice way about him and can deal with the ball, as you’d expect with any kid coming in from Tottenham.”