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Price is Right for Joe - Ipswich Town News

Youngster Lewis Price will be the only keeper on the club's pre-season tour of Scandinavia. Joe Royle is expecting Matteo Sereni's switch to Lazio to be complete before the end of next week while unwanted pair Andy Marshall and James Pullen will remain in Ipswich.

Price, 18-years-old but 19 before the end of the tour, joined the Town academy after leaving Southampton at the end of 2001 and was soon in reserves action. The net-warden, who has been called up by Welsh youth sides, missed a fair amount of last season with a wrist injury but returned to the second string for their final game at Coventry.

The Bournemouth-born keeper was on the bench the final first team game of the season away at Derby County.

Royle says he doesn't know too much about him but says he has done well in Steve McCall's side: "I haven't actually seen a lot of the lad, but he has done well in the reserves and earned himself another year.

"Now it's a case of trying to find out more about him. This is a good chance to take a close look at him, although it won't stop the search for a new first team keeper."

The Town boss is fairly confident that Sereni's move to Lazio will go through: Things are still a bit up in the air with Matteo. Negotiations between him and Lazio are still ongoing.

"That means the situation is slightly complex. I certainly can't bring in a new keeper until Matteo's move is completed.

"He is returning to Italy this weekend in any case and the chances are he won't be back. If I was a betting on it I think he'll be gone.

"I will be trying to chase it along from the club's point of view. From the look on Matteo's face, anywhere in Italy will do him."

Marshall and Pullen's omissions are likely to give them the message that they are in no way in Royle's plans for next season and that they should sort out their futures. Both players are available on free transfers despite having a year left on their contracts.

Another player who may feel the same way is Dutch midfielder Nabil Abidallah who is also staying behind when the rest of the seniors, and a number of academy players, make the annual pilgrimage to Scandinavia.

Town fly out next Thursday and face Mjällby AIF, Helsingør IF and a side made up of players from a number of teams from around the Trelleborg area. Trelleborg will be the club's base while they are on the tour.

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