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

ITFC_Budapest added 11:47 - 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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dan_itfc55 added 12:46 - May 11 Right - this is one of the first times have have slightly disagreed with what PJ has said. Yes, i think some players should still be in his plans and are good enough. However - 1) Jason Scotland... unless he loses about 2 stone over the summer i dont think he will the man to get us 20+ goals or even 10 next year. So i would like to see him move on - and all the best to him if he does. 2) Tamas Priskin... Technically quite a good player, again, i dont feel he is going to offer us any more than single figures in the goals department and cannot see many more positives he would give us - therefore again, he should leave with best wishes. 3) Luca Civelli... Haven't seen much of him due to injury, can't see him being better than Carson - so personally i would let him on his way, i can see him at a league 1 club next year. 4) Lee Martin... Arrogant. I do not like the bloke, i get the feeling he feels he is too good to be at Ipswich, when he clearly is not. Yes he had some good games after his loan spell, but we need a better winger than him with more pace and more goals. 5) Grant Leadbitter... In my view a big disappointment, think he should leave in the summer because he is not really going to fit in, he isn't really a holding midfielder and isn't really an attaking midfielder - he is just there. He wont score a lot of goals and wont help stop many goals, a nothing player in my opinion - so thank you but goodbye. The players we have been linked with are exactly what we need, if we can sign 4/5 of them i would be very happy and can see us really pushing for the playoffs - reallistically i am not expecting us to be pushing for automatic promotion, but i for one would definitely settle for 6th spot and a place in the playoffs... and from there who know's what may happen? - we could swap places with the scum!! - Now that would be a touch!!!

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JohnyJohnson added 13:06 - May 11 Lets see more of O'Conner and Hyam then please Jewelly
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ITFCMonk added 13:22 - May 11 We dont actually need to keep Priskin and Scotland, we should sell or release them both or one of them and bring in two or three top quality goalscorers. A competetive squad of 21 or 22 would be a key to success.
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ITFC4daprem added 16:33 - May 11 Priskin and Scotland are complete opposites (a mix might be a good player ) either sell both or keep both and play a 3 man attack next season Wickham Priskin Scotland
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