Perhaps inevitably, Liverpool are reportedly set to match Sunderland’s £8 million offer for Town striker Connor Wickham. The Reds have been eyeing the 18-year-old for some while with their director of football strategy Damien Comolli at the Hull City match in February.
Liverpool, the club the England U21 international supported as a boy, were recently erroneously claimed to have made a bid for Wickham but are clearly showing serious interest, while Blues boss Paul Jewell was said to be keen to sign youngsters such as former Charlton midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on loan as part of any proposed deal with the club where he was a youth and reserves player.
Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is now reportedly ready to firm up his interest with Spurs and Arsenal also believed to be eyeing the situation.
Wickham is contracted to the Blues until 2014 and while Town are not actively looking to sell, it’s believed there is a clause in the youngster’s deal which means he can talk to another club if they make an offer at a set level, believed to be somewhere between £10 million and £15 million.
Meanwhile, Wickham’s Town reserves and academy strike partner Ronan Murray is a loan target of Colchester United, according to rumours circulating amongst U’s supporters.
Town boss Paul Jewell said in April that he’d like a number of the club's younger players, such as Murray and midfielder Luke Hyam, to go out on loan to lower league sides when the new season starts.
Elsewhere, former Blue Richard Naylor is said to be a target of Doncaster Rovers having been released by Leeds at the end of the season.