Sunderland look likely to have begun the expected summer bidding war for Connor Wickham by offering the Blues an initial £8 million for the 18-year-old striker. Other clubs are almost certain to follow suit with Liverpool, Spurs and the rest of the Premier League’s bigger clubs having been keeping an eye on the Hereford-born frontman since his days in Town's Playford Road academy.

The Black Cats’ offer, the first Town have received for the England U21 international, is understood to include clauses which will take the fee beyond £10 million if achievement and appearance clauses are triggered.

Sunderland have been interested in Wickham for some while, manager Steve Bruce making an audacious but unsuccessful four-man swap offer involving Grant Leadbitter, Carlos Edwards, Dean Whitehead and Daryl Murphy two years ago shortly after his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane took over at Portman Road.

Even if Town accept the bid, which they would appear certain not to do with so many other parties interested, Wickham is unlikely to join Sunderland with Blues boss Paul Jewell saying in March that one-time Reading academy schoolboy would only be interested in moving to one of the Premier League’s bigger clubs.

The Wearsiders firming up their interest is likely to lead to other clubs following suit with Liverpool, erroneously reported to have made a bid earlier in the month and the side Wickham supported as a boy, probably the favourites to eventually land the striker.

Wickham is contracted to the Blues until 2014 and while Town are not actively looking to sell, it’s believed there is a clause in the youngster’s deal which means he can talk to another club if they make an offer at a set level, believed to be somewhere between £10 million and £15 million.

Photo: Action Images

notoriousITFC added 09:51 - Jun 22 I can understand fans wanting to hold on to him as he is a MASSIVE prospect. But people do seem to forget that he is only that at the moment. He is certainly not a prolific championship player at them moment - he is just one with a lot of potential and it is not a given that he will fulfill this. From a club's point of view we would have to accept anything around 12mill. Wickham isn't good enough to get us promotion alone, but 12 million is enough to buy 4 top championship players. I like Connor, but i think he'll be on his way later this summer - 8 mill way too low.

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jas0999 added 10:08 - Jun 22 Wickham will leave the club this Summer. We will therefore need to sign a quality replacement. A £10M bid for Connor will probably do it.
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SammyT added 11:08 - Jun 22 Abosolutely fed up of the "he is unproven blah blah blah" comments. Having attended most games last season I came away from the Leicester game thinking that Wickham is the player im most looking forward to seeing play next season. I then spend then next 2 hours listening to Leicester fans paying him homage in the pub. Guys/Gals the lad has talent, lots of it. Anyone who has seen him play a few times and not just read reports will have seen it. Keep him at all costs. As a fan who will be attending all/most games next season I want more exciting players like Wickham in the squad, would be a big loss.

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Paulc added 11:22 - Jun 22 What is the source for this story? I am expecting to see headlines that read something like: "I have received no official bids for Connor"- PJ "I have not made any enquiry after Connor" - SB Just the usual swirl of hot gas IMHO
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notoriousITFC added 11:24 - Jun 22 Sammy he is unproven. i don't think anyone is doubting his talent or excitement which he generates. But are you gonna claim that he is going to score 20 goals next year? 12 million we should definitely sell him if we want promotion...
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SammyT added 11:28 - Jun 22 But how do you define unproven? In my eyes he is 18, looks full of goals and is exciting to watch. He has proven to me thats its worth paying money to go watch him. He is proving himself at town and would rather that than elsewhere. I cant see us getting another striker worth 10mil Plus over the next few years so why not keep onto Connor for the fans ? All of this is irrelevant anyways though as im not stupid, he will go...just a big shame

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bluestu71 added 11:31 - Jun 22 If Bruce has offered 8 mill then take it but get sell on/appearance clauses etc, I like Connor but it makes sound buisness sense to get rid now because if he has a poor season his value will plummet.
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churchmans added 11:36 - Jun 22 SAMMYT sorry mate your full of chit! absolutley full of it you must be acclimatised to watching chit football i for one have not seen a decent attacking,scary,awesome team since burley and stewart,bent all them boys and i tell ya mate connor aint a touch on them! you said 'how do you define unproven??' READ YOUR OWN FIRST SENTENCE cmon sammy t your dreaming hoping that connor is gona be some sort of worldclass player or something whos gona bang in 30 goals or something! look i would want to keep him but if someone offer over 10mill!! SEEYA

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SammyT added 11:45 - Jun 22 Ahahaha brilliant Churchmans. The football has been "chit" but connor has been a bright spark on the ptich along with Carson and Bullard during the 2nd half of the season. Having been to EVERY game in the second half of the season they have been my highlights, im just saying for me personally it would be a big shame and take some of the small excitment left to watch away (meaning a few more pints). Guess it doesnt matter to you tho as you just read the reports and go by them anyway... ;-)

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notoriousITFC added 11:48 - Jun 22 Well for the fact that your saying he looks 'full of goals' tells its own story. He'll be proven when he gets the goals that makes him the striker we all want him to be. You know as well as me he hasn't got the consistency that comes with age as well. All i'm saying is, for big money it's in our interest to sell him on. We would stand a far better chance of premotion if we had the money to bring in 4 top quality championship players. I don't buy your argument to keep Connor for the fans - part of the excitement is that he is such a huge prospect. I would rather see the team be succussful than to cling on to their assets for the sake of their fans. It's not about bringing in players of equal value but players who will win you games. Of course in a perfect world Connor would stay and we would get promotion and he would become an Ipswich Town legend. But if you were PJ and you the opportunity to build a team with 12 mill you would take it. That would be massive for a club like us and could bring in the players to make the difference in this tough league.

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SammyT added 11:52 - Jun 22 Some good points in there notorious. Just IMO we should be building the team around players like Wickham rather than building a team by cashing in on them. Just hope that if he does go any money we get to strengthen is used for prospects not has beens.
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churchmans added 11:52 - Jun 22 hahaha. i say what i see i been going to long and get fed up with the chit footie. you probably sit in the bar at halftime and dont bother comin out for the second half. as for your excitment been taken away we just signed 3 exciting players and if you been going to footie long you would now that these 3 players are class in this leauge!
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churchmans added 11:57 - Jun 22 keep the faith sammy keep the faith it will all come good hes only a young bwoy!! we heading to big times i can sense it!
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Garv added 11:59 - Jun 22 You seem to be fighting a losing battle Sammy but I agree totally.
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SammyT added 11:59 - Jun 22 Hope your right Churchmans. Some good signing so far, we shall see. Will be there all season whatever.
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SammyT added 12:00 - Jun 22 Thanks Garv :-)
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whoppit added 12:17 - Jun 22 Sell him for the highest price we can. Get him back on loan for a season and invest the money wisely on players who will get us promoted. Golden opportunity here !!!!!
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gav_g added 12:19 - Jun 22 Also, i think our opinions on whether the club should sell our really quite irrelevant: Somebody will offer what is in his contract and then it will truly be up to Connor himself to decide. Just remember that if we keep him here and get promoted thats worth 60+ mill, much more than his value atm.
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notoriousITFC added 12:34 - Jun 22 gav_g that is an almighty IF and somewhat irrelevant itself.
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AndyUK61873 added 13:14 - Jun 22 people are crazy.....there is no way there will be a season long long back clause added to any sale....if you pay upwards of 10m for a player you are not going to loan him back....and some other comments about not selling....he has a clause that will let him talk to other teams so Connor and his agent prepared themselves for this moment and Evans being the savvy business man he is see that as good business....have to remember here we could get 12m for a player with POTENTIAL not proven, that is great business for us

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AndyUK61873 added 13:22 - Jun 22 Sunderland have just denied this story saying no formal bid has been made....
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bobble added 13:26 - Jun 22 tell em if they give us 10 mill they can have clegg as well. but if it was me personally and a choice between glasgow or sunderland i would smash my brains in with a brick and be buried where i am thank you
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AndyUK61873 added 13:28 - Jun 22 Rumors coming out of Liverpool saying 12m + incentives deal to be done in the next 7days....Connor as told agent he is only going to go to Liverpool not Sunderland or Newcastle.
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Tiggs added 13:35 - Jun 22 As soon as it gets to 10, snap their hands off!!!!!!
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notoriousITFC added 13:55 - Jun 22 12m would be nicer plus 30% sell on clause.
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