Striker Connor Wickham will turn down the chance of a big money move in January to remain with the Blues until the end of the season, according to one of this morning’s tabloids. The England U21 international has continually been linked with the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks.
"Sources close to” Wickham are said to believe that he wants to stay at Portman Road until the summer.
Meanwhile, one of this morning's other tabloids has claimed Wickham is on Newcastle’s January wish-list.
At the recent AGM, chief executive Simon Clegg outlined the club’s position regarding the 17-year-old frontman: "There are no offers on the table for Connor, there is a lot of speculation, a lot of hot air out there. Roy and myself are clear that we’d like to retain him, as indeed is the owner.
"But you may get to the point in the future where the offer for the player is considerably in excess of the value that we place on him as a club and financially it would be wrong not to take that.
"If you find yourself in that situation, you would expect that money to be reinvested to replace that particular player as that would be a huge loss for the team and that hole would need to be filled.”
Elsewhere, Sheffield United are reported to be ready to offer former Town keeper Richard Wright a contract until the end of the season. Wright signed a four-month deal with the Blades in September.
Wright has made only one appearance for his new club, in the 1-0 derby defeat to Barnsley earlier this month, and that was curtailed by a thigh injury.
Ex-Blues boss George Burley is set for the sack at Crystal Palace, according to another of this morning’s papers. Burley’s Eagles are third from bottom of the Championship.