Blues striker Liam Delap is reportedly set to undergo a medical at Chelsea on Monday.
TWTD revealed on Tuesday that the West Londoners were closing in on signing the 22-year-old, who spoke to a number of interested sides during the final couple of weeks of the season.
On Thursday, the West Londoners triggered the £30 million relegation release clause in the deal the England U21 international signed last summer and now, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, documents relating to the switch have been exchanged and a medical booked for Monday.
The Winchester-born frontman previously worked with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca during his spell as U21s manager at Manchester City where he came through the ranks alongside Cole Palmer.
Delap joined the Blues for an initial £15 million last summer from City, who are understood to be due 20 per cent of Town’s profit.
Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton has explained why when Delap joined Town last summer, the club had to agree to a contract which will see Delap move on for a fee most view as lower than his market value.
"The reality is that when there’s a high profile player who is wanted by several clubs you get presented with a term sheet – ‘those are the terms for the club’ and ‘those are the terms for the player’,” he told the EADT.
"You’re told, ‘If you want to talk to the player and give your pitch to sign him you have to agree to those terms because if you don't then there are six other clubs who will agree’.
"We speak to other clubs, we know the market, so we know that that’s not lies. So there is very little to negotiate. You’re taking it or you’re leaving it.”
Regarding his much-publicised comment that the club was well-protected regarding Delap, Ashton added: "You protect yourself to the best of your ability. The board and major shareholders all know what you’re getting into.
"That means, at that point in time, you are going to break the record purchase for the football club and if you sell that player you’re going to break the record sales for the football club.
"And also – remember, I'm not talking about any specific player – when that player moves on you retain a percentage of his future profit as well. You’re protected.
"With all our players we know where we are with them. The ownership know where the cash flows are with them. You have to look at it with an investment bank-like view across the board.
"As I said, I think a couple of players will leave the club this summer - not huge, not handfuls. One [Delap] has been very heavily publicised, hasn't been publicised by us.
"I think if I was an Ipswich fan I'd be frustrated at the amount of times that's been in the press, but when things are in the press, particularly the nationals, they’re in there for a reason and that will be agents or other clubs trying to unsettle players, trying to build markets for players etc.
"So all I can say to the fanbase is we have been as open and honest as we can be since we joined this football club. Every decision we make is in the best interest of this football club, but we have to deal with the market as it is. This football club is always protected moving forward.”
The short 10-day first mini-transfer window of the summer is set to open on Sunday. That has been introduced ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup but it’s understood Delap wouldn’t be able to play for Chelsea in that competition as he’ll be with the England U21s at the European Championship in Slovakia, that tournament taking precedence.
One-time Derby County academy youngster Delap played his final game for Town against West Ham United on Sunday, coming on as a second-half sub.
In total, he made 32 starts and eight sub appearances in his one campaign with the club, scoring 12 times.