West Bromwich Albion have emerged as the Premier League side departing Town defender Gareth McAuley is set to join. Earlier today, Blues boss Paul Jewell revealed that McAuley and skipper David Norris had decided to leave the club having failed to agree new terms at Portman Road.

McAuley had previously been linked with SPL giants Rangers but Baggies boss Roy Hodgson was spotted at the recent East Anglian derby with the Northern Ireland international evidently the reason for his visit to Suffolk.

Despite links with Crystal Palace in recent days, Norris now looks to be on his way to Portsmouth, the side who made their targeting of the Town captain little secret in January. Leeds, Wigan and Nottingham Forest are also believed to be interested.

Elsewhere, the Blues face stiff competition from Premier League Everton and weekend opponents Leicester for the signature of Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood, whose contract is up at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

robdaful added 21:08 - May 9 Good luck
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robdaful added 21:09 - May 9 Hopefully Westwood will choose first team football over the bench with Everton
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itfc1981 added 21:11 - May 9 good for him.
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GreenwichBlue added 21:17 - May 9 Good luck Gareth but he'll need it against the pace and vision of the Premier League teams. This is a move beyond him and he'll regret not moving to Rangers (if that was an option). As for Chuck, moving to Pompy hey? Can't be for the money afterall then as they've got none.
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rosseden added 21:18 - May 9 bit of luck Chuck will go to pompey and then not get paid..... serve him right for being such a mercenary..... theyre still in a big mess..... youve got to seriously question someones (his and his agents) sanity when a club are having to let go of players due to lack of funds and he joins because of money?! bizarre........
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 21:23 - May 9 don't think norris is in it for the money, sounded all along like he just wanted a longer contract, i.e. 3 years, which i still can't understand why we couldn't offer him that!? ah well...spose just gotta see who we can bring in to replace them both
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RIPbobby added 21:25 - May 9 That's a good move for GMaC, but an awful one for Norris. Portsmouth were giving Dave Kitson £25,000 a week for his loan. So I suppose he will get a big wage, but for how much longer can they pay it. Their finances are still not sorted out. Maybe he has family and friends on the south coast and wants to be closer to them. I just think it is a dangerous move for him. Of course good luck to them both.

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Mungo added 21:28 - May 9 Perhaps they'll give us Meite in exchange? Good luck Big Mac!
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everycloud66 added 21:30 - May 9 hi new on here but to be honest i think the loss of these players could be a good thing and yes may sound odd but its time to start again as we have been under achieving for far to long and need a complete overhaul . as a blue living in norfolk and no im not from norfolk its just amazing how much hype there is about there team and at the end of the day mr lambert will sod off to the first prem team who will show him some money, and thats because they are a small club with no hope of ever eclipsing what has been achieved by ipswich town and its history proves my point .

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tractorboy1995 added 21:51 - May 9 Hope they appreciate him more than some on here did. Class player, kept us up last year, will be sorley missed, and if we don't replace him it could be a tricky year next year.
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dairec1 added 22:03 - May 9 Good luck boys, did well for us but certainly not irreplaceable. New season new faces clean slate and onward and upwards for the Town with players 100% for the club. COYB.
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theblueginger added 22:05 - May 9 a decent player, but getting on a bit now, so i can understand why hes off to a prem team, its his last chance. If only he played alongside De Vos instead of replacing him
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RegencyBlue added 22:05 - May 9 Will get found out big time in the Premiership!
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Infineteregress added 22:06 - May 9 Best of luck Mac, you'll be missed at PR and will definitely have your work cut out in the prem, but don't begrudge you moving. Norris going to Pompey is a bit harder to fathom tbh.
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Manchesterblue added 22:06 - May 9 Not interested, refused a contract, hasn't been bothered to stay or show us he still cares. At best an average defender in a very poor team.
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jas0999 added 22:07 - May 9 Best of luck to both - these deals should have been sorted long before now - or the players sold at the beginning of last season. I don't blame either for moving - nor do I think it's about money. Interesting to read some of the comments on here - people seem to think they are replaceable/not very good - yet both were probably our best players this year - so what does that say about the rest!!! Looking forward to seeing if PJ can attract decent players to the club. Still very concerned that Clegg is in charge for doing the deals.

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Ipswich24 added 22:11 - May 9 McAulay will probably prove the doubters wrong like Walters. I am disapointed he did not stay. But on the other hand with him in the side we have never had a great defence which keeps teams out and keeps clean sheets but that has a lot to do with a lack of a defensive midfielder
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hadleighboyblue added 22:13 - May 9 losing McAuley to a premiership team for nothing really rubs it in ............we have lost a million + , good luck to him anyway . as for Norris , a very strange move , but not a great loss
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Umros added 22:15 - May 9 Shame but can't carry those who's heart aren't in it...............as for being premier league standard I very much doubt it................. Slow and prone to big errors, in the premier you need to play at 90% all the time, not 70.
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Marshalls_Mullet added 22:26 - May 9 Cant really blame the club for being led a merry dance; http://www.twtd.co.uk/news.php?storyid=18286
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pazelle added 22:29 - May 9 All the best Gareth, good luck and thanks for being such a solid player in such a difficult period x
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Marshalls_Mullet added 22:29 - May 9 Full of sh1t; http://www.twtd.co.uk/news.php?storyid=18166
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Tractastic added 22:43 - May 9 With two players in their 30's one can't help appreciating that they need to get the right deals for themselves and their families. Gareth McAuley has consistently performed in the championship and been a great asset to Ipswich but with Premiership opportunities being offered this is potentially his last chance to play at that level so good luck to Gareth. With regards to Norris don't believe the hype he can't be mad enough to go to Pompey. But lets get over this. Lets give Jewell a chance and see where the summer wheeling and dealing gets us.I've got a feeling we could be in a good position by the end of the summer and finally free from the Keane reign thank god.

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RetroBlue added 22:48 - May 9 Norris will probably join Leeds - his style of play will actually be suited to Leeds combative style ! All a bit odd regarding Town not wanting to offer that extra year to Norris. Why was that I wonder? Got a better player lined up I suspect. As for McA...."good Luck" and thanks for all your efforts. At least he didnt whine and whinge like Norris and Delaney (why we offered Delaney another 2 yrs baffles me)

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Marshalls_Mullet added 22:54 - May 9 Really winds me up that playes use the tired 'need to get the best deal for my family'. Bollox, they are just greedy. Even these Championship players have pretty much set themsleves up for life by the time they finish playing.... but its not as if they cant earn a living after football..... media, coaching, management or retrain for an unrelated career. The.... 'I need this extra year for my family' is rubbish. We will have paid Norris probably close to £2 MILLION over the past 3 years. ....hope the family survives David. Talking about families, hope your pal in jail is doing OK too of course. Good riddance.

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