Town have announced their retained list with Kayden Jackson, Dominic Ball and Panutche Camara released, while options have been taken to keep Christian Walton, Cameron Burgess, Axel Tuanzebe and Idris El Mizouni at Portman Road, Vaclav Hladky is in talks regarding a new deal and Janoi Donacien will continue his rehabilitation at the club ahead of pre-season training.
Jackson joined the Blues from Accrington Stanley for £1.6 million under Paul Hurst in the summer of 2018 and had a topsy-turvy time at Portman Road, having been out of the picture and seemingly on his way out of the club under Paul Lambert and Paul Cook before becoming an important member of Kieran McKenna’s squad, albeit with most of his appearances having come off the bench.
Overall, the 30-year-old forward made exactly 100 starts and 99 sub appearances for the club, scoring 28 goals.
Ball joined Town after leaving QPR in the summer of 2022 but never established himself in the team, the Blues’ form and injury limiting his opportunities.
The 28-year-old made 13 starts - five in the league - and 22 sub appearances, scoring one goal.
"Kayden and Dominic have both been important members of a group which has achieved significant success over the last two seasons,” manager Kieran McKenna said.
"Both have made vital contributions on the field and, off the pitch, have played central roles in developing a culture and setting standards which have been so important to the club's progress. Their contributions to everything the club has achieved should not be understated.
"I am certain both Kayden and Dominic will be real assets at whichever clubs they take the next steps in their careers and they will always be welcome at both Portman Road and Playford Road.”
Camara joined the Blues from Plymouth on deadline day in August 2022 but had an injury hit first campaign before being loaned to Charlton last season.
The Guinea-Bissau international made one start and three sub appearances for the Blues - just one game from the bench in the league - scoring once, in the FA Cup at Bracknell.
Donacien, who will remain at the club as he continues his rehabilitation from adductor surgery but seems likely to move on ahead of the new campaign, was regularly involved in the right-back/right centre-back role during McKenna’s first two seasons at the club, however, with injury limiting his involvement last term.
A number of clubs, including ex-Blues’ boss Paul Cook’s Chesterfield are understood to be eyeing his situation.
Keeper Hladky revealed in April that talks regarding a new deal were close to a conclusion.
Veteran forward Sone Aluko announced his retirement at the End-of-Season Dinner, while young keeper Nick Hayes has already joined National League Barnet following his release.
Midfielder Jack Manly, Town’s second-youngest senior player, has also found a new club having rejoined former loan side Leiston on a permanent basis on a one-year deal.
It’s little surprise that Town have taken the one-year options on Walton, Burgess and Tuanzebe’s deals.
The Blues will want a fee for the keeper should he move on this summer, which seems likely given his lack of involvement during 2023/24, while the Australian international has emerged as a key man over the last couple of seasons and may well be in the frame for a longer term deal.
Tuanzebe, who joined the club last summer, is the player in the squad with the most Premier League experience, albeit a total of 28 appearances, 19 for Manchester United. and nine for Aston Villa.
El Mizouni, 23, who has spent the last two years on loan at Leyton Orient may well move on on a permanent basis this summer with the year's option set to secure a fee for the midfielder's services.
Loanees Omari Hutchinson, Jeremy Sarmiento, Kieffer Moore, Lewis Travis and Brandon Williams have all left the club at the end of their spells.
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