Town could benefit from two of their players moving on this summer with midfielder Liam Trotter and striker Jordan Rhodes both linked with close season switches. Trotter has been mentioned in connection with a £1.5 million move from Millwall to Southampton, while prolific frontman Rhodes is interesting a number of clubs.
If Ipswich-born midfielder Trotter does make the move it would be to Town's advantage as the deal which took the 23-year-old to the Den for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2010 included a similarly under-wraps sell-on clause.
Trotter has impressed since joining the Lions and is also believed to have been watched by a number of Premier League clubs.
The Blues would also prosper if Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes moved on during the close season with the sell-on included in the controversial 2009 deal which saw the 22-year-old move to the League One side believed to be around 12% of the profit the Terriers would make if they sell him.
According to reports this morning, Fulham are the frontrunners to land the 40-goal striker for a £3.5 million fee with Norwich, Aston Villa and West Ham also said to be interested.
A figure in that region would take the overall cash Town have received for the Scottish international to around £1 million.
The Blues are understood to already have been paid more than £600,000 from the Rhodes deal which included several clauses based on both the player and the club reaching milestones. One of those is understood to be promotion, which the West Yorkshire club could still achieve this season having reached the League One play-off final where they take on Sheffield United.
Elsewhere, ex-Town loanee Keith Andrews has been released by West Brom having signed a short-term contract with the Baggies after leaving both the Blues and parent club Blackburn in January, although there is the possibility that he could sign a new deal if the new manager at the Hawthorns wants him. Keeper Márton Fülöp, who joined West Brom from Town early in the season, has also left the Midlands side.
Former Blues coach and Radio Suffolk regular Steve Foley has been named head coach of Ryman League Division One North champions Leiston.
Meanwhile, David Norris’s rumoured possible return to Town from relegated Portsmouth this summer appears unlikely with manager Paul Jewell dismissing the idea that he might be considering re-signing the club’s former skipper towards the end of the season: "No, not really. Chuck’s a terrific lad but I’ve got other targets we’re pursuing.”
Norris and chief executive Simon Clegg have remained in touch on a regular basis by text since the former Plymouth man moved on, which has led to speculation that the 31-year-old might return to Portman Road.
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