Boss Paul Jewell says he’s not spoken to any of his still-in-contract players about them potentially leaving the club over the summer. With at least one striker targeted, the futures of Jason Scotland and Tamás Priskin would both appear to be in doubt, while versatile Canadian international Jaime Peters has appeared only fleetingly since the change of manager at Portman Road.

Jewell says he’s currently focusing on signing players rather than moving them on: “I’m more concerned with getting people in rather than getting people out. I want to bring players in and add goals to the team and not just that, people who can make more goals and keep them out at the other end.

“It’s not about getting players out now, it’s about getting players in. But every player at every football club is open to offer, whoever that player is. If someone rings up and offers a good deal for one of the players, you have to listen.

“But I haven’t ruled anyone out of my plans for next season. I’m more interested in getting people in, we’re looking light on numbers. The most important thing now is to get players in who are going to take us forward and the biggest thing we need is a goalscorer.”

Priskin spent the latter part of the season on loan at Swansea until a knee injury sidelined him with Swans manager Brendan Rodgers undecided on whether to keep him. Whether the Welshmen reach the Premier League via the play-offs will be a factor in whether Rodgers tries to sign his former Watford player on a permanent basis.

Scotland was also a Swansea target last season, but the Hungarian would appear more likely to find himself back at the Liberty Stadium next season than the Trinidadian.

Jewell says he’s determined to rid Town of the ‘nice’ image that his predecessor Roy Keane mentioned on a number of occasions: “I think lots of managers have said before me that this is a brilliant football club but it’s a bit ‘nice’.

“We’ve got great support, a real family environment and it’s important that we keep that, but on the pitch we’ve got to be tougher.”

The former Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan and Derby boss says he loves the cut and thrust of transfer business: “It’s always an exciting challenge for a manager to build a team.

“I’m looking forward to wheeling and dealing and trying to get the players in that I think will take us forward. It’s not going to be easy because we’ll all be chasing the same players.”

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich24 added 16:12 - May 10 We still need a clear out of Scotland, Smith, Civeli, and possibly Priskin need squad down to a tight unit of 22 a player who is equally good in each position.
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pazelle added 16:19 - May 10 If we're serious about bringing in better players then why aren't we absolutely scouting the crap out of Holland? We already have a ferry link and a good history of Dutch players in blue. Instead we are trying to attract domestic players that will be chased by all and sundry, asking them to move to the sticks instead of London or wherever. If this summer ends up like the last 2 then I won't be surprised. On another note, keep Priskin and give the lad a chance he's our most natural finisher and warrants a place in the squad at least. Keep Peters too as he puts in 100% and can cover many positions in a small squad. Scotland must be binned.

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GlenPennyfather added 16:21 - May 10 Steady on! I agree with Jewell, we need to concentrate on getting players in. With Counago, Lisbie, Quinn, McAuley, Murphy, O'Dea, and Norris leaving, and Bullard's future in doubt, this leaves us with a small squad of 21 with first team experience... Peters, O'Connor, Delaney, Leadbitter, Edwards, Wickham, Scotland, Martin, Lee-Barrett, Priskin, Drury, Hyam, Fulop, Brown, Smith, Eastman, Healy, Civelli, Murray, Kennedy, and Carson

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Keaneish added 16:26 - May 10 When he says 'great support', does that mean the perpetual silence around the ground every game?
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Bluejake added 16:54 - May 10 Keaneish - you're right, he's referring to the number of people who used to turn up, not the deafening silence that they made.
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Superfrans added 17:22 - May 10 he probably also means the excellent crowd we take away with us. On average, much better than most who come to Portman Road.
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jas0999 added 17:33 - May 10 The better clubs in this league have at least four senior strikers. I hope PJ has learnt his lesson by only having two strikers at the club for the remainder of this season. If Priskin/Scotland or Wickham leave IMO they will need to be replaced in ADDITION to the striker PJ is trying to sign. You need options from the bench. A lot of teams start with two strikers with two more on the bench. The big failing by ITFC this year has been the lack of match winning options on the bench. Just my opinion though!

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Bluetone added 17:40 - May 10 Go Dutch P. J. in fact go double Dutch what is wrong with our European scouting network? Have we got one these days?
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SamWhiteUK added 17:52 - May 10 Priskin should stay, ESPECIALLY if we sign Bullard, because he will be able to provide the service that Priskin needs. I can't believe that in all of the games last season, NO-ONE in our midfield realised that Priskin is much better with his feet than his head.
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Mark added 18:15 - May 10 I don't think Jewell needs to learn any lessons, he knows that we need more fire power and he will sign strikers in the summer. Keane has two years to bring in decent strikers, but instead he focussed on central midfielders and goalkeepers, selling the young striker we were all looking forward to seeing improve in the first team.
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Tillz9 added 18:32 - May 10 Jas - spot on. If we were 0-0 or 1-0 down and needing something different going forward we had no creativity or strikers on the bench who would make a difference. We need that next season
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Martus added 19:03 - May 10 Priskin_16_FTW - EXACTLY! I felt sorry for him cos all he gets is long balls, the against Arsenal the ball is played through too him, so he can run on too it and use his feet, he scores. He's our new Counago, a technical player which is much better than a target man playing route one football.
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tractor_boy_varnz added 19:07 - May 10 the close season looks like it should be good and Paul Jewell is a good wheeler dealer and i think will have assembled a very competatnt squad by September 1st! I think if we sign coppinger (as looks very likely now) and westwood within the first 2 weeks of the close season it will get other targets intrested, sets us up for a decent pre season and for the first time in a while, us fans will have something to shout about before August 31st!! haha COYB! P.S the fact that coppinger loves fishing might be a pull factor for jimmy! he might have someone to go out with now!

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ITFC4daprem added 19:16 - May 10 have a bad feeling about peters O'Connor both have impressed when i seen under PJ yet not give a chance. unless Scotland shows BIG improvement in general play sell him
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Tractorog added 20:28 - May 10 "Nobody is out of my plans" is not quite the same as "nobody is out, in my plans". Also did he include Clegg leaving in his plans? Perhaps that was just in his dreams.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:37 - May 10 Whenever peope try to justify Priskins place in team they always state same thing ''the Arsenal goal ''. Take that away ,he would be forgotten .Move him on now ,its obviously going to be a build from scratch job this season ,sooner the better.
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Mungo added 20:51 - May 10 Much wheeling and dealing to be done. Connor Wickham aside, there isn't much transfer value left in the squad and, to take us further, PJ will have to stretch his transfer budget to the maximum. Will be interesting to see if the new fitness coach will be able to get anything out of Scotland?
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h32 added 22:18 - May 10 Bluetone - of course we haven't. There was a time when we had a continuous stream of trialists, particularly Dutch, arriving at Portman Road, but where are they now ? - elsewhere, just like the scouts, I guess.
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theblueginger added 22:20 - May 10 One of Priskin/Scotland to leave, i think PJ learnt in the preston game that getting rid of peters wont be popular, i dont see any other departures now that contract fiasco is over. Bring in 2 strikers, JB, St Ledger/a commanding tall CB, a defensive midfielder, a right back, left back and another cover versatile player.
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SamWhiteUK added 22:47 - May 10 Dirtydingus I for one didn't mention the Arsenal goal, so that proves your statement incorrect immediately. The reason that Priskin should stay is because he is easily one of our most talented players, and people saying that it is between Priskin and Scotland as to who goes are out of their minds. Scotland is easily the one to be packing his bags, as he has done pretty much FA since he got here. PS the only reason that people mention the Arsenal goal is because it was pretty much the only game in which Priskin got the service he wants.

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Tractorog added 23:51 - May 10 Priskin is the new Pablo... looks good... doesn't score. If he was in PJ's plans, or perhaps if we were in his, why did he go to Swansea?
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Guthrum added 00:28 - May 11 All this about Priskin and Scotland "needing service". No. Wickham goes and fetches the ball, advances and scores. That's what we need. Not strikers who are so precious they need the ball in exactly the right spot or they don't put it in the net. Those types are a top-end Premiership luxury, when you have an entire squad stuffed with the best talent who can put the ball where it's needed for the tap-in specialists. We need more hard-working and enterprising strikers, who can feed off inferior service and still put the ball where it's supposed to go!

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DiamondGezzer added 07:40 - May 11 Can anybody tell me, how many ' sitters ' both Priskin and Scotland missed this season ?
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Karlosfandangal added 08:32 - May 11 Priskin Priskin is a good player, However 9 goals in just under 60 games, we need a player who can get us 20+ goals a season. Wickham has scored more goals and he is playing out of position on the left. We need a player who suits Ipswich style of play and I am afraid that Priskin style does not suit Ipswich Style. In his 2 loan periods he has not started to bang the goals in and he has never been a 20 a season man, so IMO think we should sell him on. Ted Phillips was never a good technical player but scored loads of goals, even if it was off his ears, elbow ,knee, the ball went in. We need goal scorers at the minute not pretty football

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ITFC_Budapest added 11:46 - May 11 Got to agree with those saying go dutch! In fact fill the midfield with dutch players and our strikers won't have to strain their necks so much!
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