Town defender Alex Bruce’s proposed £200,000 move to Sheffield United has fallen through. According to reports in Sheffield, Blues boss Roy Keane has called off the deal with the central defender having been expected to complete the switch early this week.

Bruce was reported to have agreed personal terms with the Blades over the weekend, but the Republic of Ireland international was back training at Playford Road today.

Town manager Roy Keane may have decided against allowing Bruce to move on with Damien Delaney out of action for three months with a serious thigh injury and with little senior cover for likely first choices Gareth McAuley and Tommy Smith.

Bruce is understood to want to leave to play first team football and, if the Blues were to sign another experienced centre-half, the former Birmingham man could still be on his way out of the club - perhaps reviving the Blades move - before the season starts.

Meanwhile, Cardiff left-back Mark Kennedy is yet to undergo a medical at Town and his £75,000 move from the Welsh club will not be concluded today. Contrary to reports, Kennedy wasn't at Portman Road over the weekend.

On Saturday, Cardiff boss Dave Jones revealed that the Blues have offered the former Irish international a two-year deal.

Photo: Action Images

finidigeorge88 added 21:50 - Jul 26 I saw Rowan Vine in Ipswich today i think that is another player coming in.
0

ramseyn added 22:10 - Jul 26 I hope he was visiting his grandma and nowhere near portman road. And us for Stephen Ireland .....
0

ChambersM added 22:13 - Jul 26 well this was predictable....its obvious keane has realized that he is so managerially inept thats he cant get any decent players to replace bruce and now he is calling off the move. Could he not have realized this before he put bruce up for sale. This is not how you go about managing in football, you make your signings and then you offload. Im glad anyway because bruce is a good player and i think if smith doesnt seem up to the job then he can slip into the team fine. As well, 200k? Thats ridiculous, why are we selling all our players so cheap!

0

denhamblue added 22:18 - Jul 26 lol the portman panto just keeps getting more funnier by the day,may it continue.
0

sixtouchfootball added 22:24 - Jul 26 It could actually be that sheffield united were trying to take the p!££ a bit on the deal? They have no money so probably wanted him for free with us paying part of his wages? After all, they got nosworthy for a year on loan and only have to pay the £500k fee if get promoted. The club probably feel better off keeping him for the time being until we get a better package? Ie - a fee and all wages off the book.

0

ramseyn added 22:24 - Jul 26 Chambersm "This is not how you go about managing in football". When did you gain your uefa licence in training managers then?
0

slowerball added 22:35 - Jul 26 It's rubbish like Bruce we need to move on. OK Delaney is out, but we have Mc & Smith with various younger players who could deputise. Why have these young lads if they don't even get a sniff of a chance? If the breakdown of this deal is down to RK then ME will need to ask serious questions. We cannot be in a position where we need to offload players, and then not do so - especially where a fee is involved and its someone we loaned out last year... In a word - bizarre.

0

ChambersM added 22:40 - Jul 26 its hardley very proffessional is it ramseyn to be within hours of selling a player and then to call it off...you buy and then you sell...the club is in a mess and it ALL started when keane came in
0

ramseyn added 22:47 - Jul 26 Point is you said how predictable. None of us saw this coming and none of us know why, so none of us came blame keane, clegg, sheff u or the bloke round the corner until we do.
0

ChambersM added 22:50 - Jul 26 well i say predictable, i mean 'obvioulsly should have been done long ago as we know keane will not get anyone else in to replace him'
0

slowerball added 23:08 - Jul 26 Not happy - I'm sure we all want something to happen in the period of times - now fast running out - before we start. We have been told that folks need to go before we bring guys in - I'm fine with that, and that activity may hot up towards the end of the window - again fine with that. We were also told we needed new faces to freshen thinghs up and to strengthen where we needed it. Thus far, we've done and seen nowt! It rumours are true - Palace & Charlton have done more than we have managed! Come on now - let's get cracking... we now look weaker than we finished off - no Pim, no Murphy, no Healy, no Colback, no Wright (x2), with others who have been shown the door and others on the list... One signing. A 19 yr old lad... How badly did we start last term? We don't want that again so if we need certain players in - get them in and we need to move the likes of Bruce on. It can't be the fee because he ain't worth anything, so £200k - snap their hand off.... And where's all this "it's up to the players business"...

0

ramseyn added 23:11 - Jul 26 Point is you said how predictable. None of us saw this coming and none of us know why, so none of us came blame keane, clegg, sheff u or the bloke round the corner until we do.
0

ramseyn added 23:16 - Jul 26 No idea what's happening with my laptop. Please ignore all this repitition.
0

ramseyn added 23:21 - Jul 26 I do think however that this story could twist again. Think the next ten days could see lots of stop start stuff with rumours flying all over. These ten days could well make or break it for keane. A few surprises coming in and momentum could come, no more signings and the worry begins...
0

slowerball added 23:22 - Jul 26 Agreed. Fingers crossed...
0

suffolksam added 00:32 - Jul 27 nobody will play for keane
0

steed added 08:25 - Jul 27 big blow wickham out for six weeks phil is slow on reporting this
0

muhrensleftfoot added 08:52 - Jul 27 We don't know what's going on behind the scenes. Maybe Sheff U were being difficult, arguing the fee etc. Also Bruce is cover at full back and centre back. I think it is a wise move to pull out of the deal
0

corshamblue added 09:59 - Jul 27 A sure sign, and admittance, that Keano can't sign any decent players - not even on loan. Either we want him or we don't, let him go and bring someone else in or better still give the young'uns a go. Jeepers, some good news PLEASE....
0

SiBo added 10:52 - Jul 27 if you read the "Garven fee agreed" thread it states that the deal is NOT off, and should complete this week... this report came from Sheffield, not ITFC.
0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls