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Jewell Makes Offer for Second Striker
Jewell Makes Offer for Second Striker
Tuesday, 14th Jun 2011 06:00

Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that he has made an offer for a striker in addition to Michael Chopra, who signed from Cardiff for £1.5 million last week. The Blues manager is keen to add a different striking option to his squad.

Jewell believes he already has some decent frontmen but says he needs someone to complement them: “We’ve got some good strikers at the club — Connor Wickham, Jason Scotland, Tamás Priskin and Michael Chopra — but I still want another one to go and play alongside one of them.

“At the back end of last season we didn’t have quality competition for places. We had plenty of numbers but the quality was lacking a little bit.

“I have made an offer for a striker and there are two or three things that are going on and which, luckily, have been kept quiet.”

It's understood that a player was at Portman Road for talks yesterday with reports last night linking Blackburn’s Jason Roberts, although the Grenada international subsequently tweeted that he is still in the Caribbean and hasn’t spoken to Town.

Elsewhere, reports in Ireland have linked the Blues with Reading frontman Noel Hunt with Portsmouth and West Ham also understood to be showing interest, although the 27-year-old may have been seen as an alternative addition prior to Chopra’s signing last week.

Sheffield United’s Ched Evans also continues to be linked, while another of Jewell’s Wigan strikers, Nathan Ellington, is also frequently a rumoured potential target and was claimed to have been the player at Portman Road on the TWTD Message Board yesterday. The 29-year-old is a free agent having been released by Watford after ending last season on loan at Preston.

One striker who won’t be joining Town is Doncaster's Billy Sharp with Jewell no longer targeting the 25-year-old: “We made an offer for him that was rejected and they made it public, which is their prerogative.

“Negotiations were ongoing but once we knew Michael Chopra was available we quickly changed our target. I think Michael’s as good as you will get in the Championship.”

Sharp was part of a £2.6 million joint-offer along with midfielder James Coppinger, who Jewell confirms he is still looking to land: “We are still pursuing one of those players. We’re after a number of players, everybody knows that and these things take time.

“It’s been a most frustrating summer. I don’t feel as if I’ve had a holiday because I’ve never been off the phone, I’ve been travelling up and down the country meeting players and meeting agents and it’s been very hard work and very frustrating.”

Chopra was Jewell’s first transfer success of the summer and is someone his new manager believes is a top player in this division: “He’s proven at Championship level and he’s one that every Championship manager or supporter would want to have in their team. We’re delighted to have him.

“When we heard he might be available we moved very quickly. It took a bit of time to dot the is and cross the ts but I am sure it will be worth all the hard work that went into it.”

The Liverpudlian feels Chopra will benefit from the fresh start at a new club: “We all know he’s had things off the pitch in the past.

“I spoke to him at length about that and he’s really focused and looking forward to just getting his head down and scoring goals for us and helping us to try to be successful.”

Since then released Reading defender Ivar Ingimarsson has agreed to sign a one-year deal and Jewell, who wants to add up to seven players to his squad this summer, is hoping to have made more additions before pre-season starts on June 29th and then further signings by the time the new season gets going: “Hopefully come August 6th, all the hard work we’re doing behind the scenes now will come to fruition and we’ll have players in our team that are better equipped to try and mount a promotion challenge.”


Photo: Action Images



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dommyboyblue added 06:05 - Jun 14
All really positive, but surely we will be losing one of Priskin or Scotland as cannot see them playing much next season once we get another striker in.

Ellington would be a good signing and if he is as successful as he was in his last spell under Jewell, it will be a good season.
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Kieran_Knows added 06:06 - Jun 14
Presuming we get this second striker Jewell is after, looks likely that one of Priskin or Scotland will be leaving.
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Bluearmy71 added 06:09 - Jun 14
Let the rumours commence.........the forum ain't half gonna be busy again lol

Lets hope who ever it is will join us and make next season even more exciting to look forward to!
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dubzyluvschips added 06:12 - Jun 14
Exciting times
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Kieran_Knows added 06:15 - Jun 14
I think it's fair to say that it's not Ellington, Jewell says we've made a bid for a player. Ellington is out of contract.... So no bid would need to be made for him.
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groovyASH added 06:21 - Jun 14
I believe Jewell's comments in this article supports my 5-striker theory.
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Bluearmy71 added 06:21 - Jun 14
PRF....... just pointing out the it says offer and not bid so its left open imo
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Kieran_Knows added 06:29 - Jun 14
Sorry, you are correct. Hmmm, interesting then!
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tractorintheloft added 06:54 - Jun 14
im surprised Ellington is only 29. He wouldn't be a signing that would excite me but PJ will know how to get the best out of him. I would prefer Evans but have every faith that PJ knows his stuff. Great to see players getting signed ahead of pre season.
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DiamondGezzer added 07:05 - Jun 14
Ched Evans is desperate to prove himself, could be a good signing, if its him ?
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footyblue added 07:09 - Jun 14
lets hope the signing gets us buzzing again COYB
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RIPbobby added 07:13 - Jun 14
I still think Jewell is playing mind games with Doncaster over Sharp. I think they will let him go and ours was the only bid on the table. Jewell is just winding them up a bit.
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itfcbam added 07:15 - Jun 14
suspect that the additional striker may end up paving the way for Wickham to leave. Assuming the fee is hefty it may enable him to sign 2 or 3 additional players, not sure how much ME is willing to bankroll in the summer, last summer not only did Keane have to trim the wage bill but also raked in 3m for Walters so in effect didn't much additional money other than the fees recouped, remember the club is still losing money each week.
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ITFC_Budapest added 07:17 - Jun 14
Great, just hope he doesn't neglect sorting out our average midfield!
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cressi added 07:40 - Jun 14
Think if the conner bid goes over ten millon plus add ons loans coming our way he will be sold it may not be the end but the start of something good if Jewell is giving the money from that or any deals busy summer ahead.
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Sindre94 added 07:44 - Jun 14
Thanks for giving up holiday for us, well done paul :)
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TractorCam added 07:49 - Jun 14
Transfer crazy!
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bedsitfc added 07:51 - Jun 14
chopra, prisken, scotland and murrey are not big so i think it will be someone at least 6 foot. chad fits the bill and so does goodwillie.
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bluelady added 07:53 - Jun 14
Midfield big concern now too as we are back to no set piece taker, unless leabitter has had an intensive course!!!
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manualthetisfanclub added 07:54 - Jun 14
All this is it him or is it him is pure speculation,I really hope it aint ellington as he was supposedly to fire the goals to keep preston up,that didn't happen then!,his best days are behind him!
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Keaneish added 07:59 - Jun 14
Agree on the midfield comments. Sign Nugent or Evans.
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Karlosfandangal added 08:31 - Jun 14
With the midfield

Coppinger is still being targeted and I expect PJ is looking at a centre back St Leger fits the price/type of player we are loping for

can't see Wickham going as he is still to prove himself at this level
Liverpool have spent £60 million on two strikers less than six months ago plus another 20 on Henderson so I can't see them spending another ten on a bench warmer at best
Wickham will only sign for the big clubs if he has a good season this year then I can see the bids roll in but at the minute he is a big risk for that price tag
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SmellyGreenVeggie added 08:32 - Jun 14
Get rid of Priskin and Scotland, spend the dosh (if you managed to get any for these two jokers) in midfield & defence. Edwards will be in slammer soon so we will need a natural right back.
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tractorintheloft added 08:39 - Jun 14
Agree with posters stating that midfield is mediocre but it's depressing that previous two managers have spent over 10m on this area. Fingers crossed for some creative midfielders to feed the new strike force.
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Blue041273 added 08:48 - Jun 14
According to the Daily Mail it's Jason Roberts. We shall see.
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