Perhaps inevitably, Liverpool are reportedly set to match Sunderland’s £8 million offer for Town striker Connor Wickham. The Reds have been eyeing the 18-year-old for some while with their director of football strategy Damien Comolli at the Hull City match in February.

Liverpool, the club the England U21 international supported as a boy, were recently erroneously claimed to have made a bid for Wickham but are clearly showing serious interest, while Blues boss Paul Jewell was said to be keen to sign youngsters such as former Charlton midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on loan as part of any proposed deal with the club where he was a youth and reserves player.

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is now reportedly ready to firm up his interest with Spurs and Arsenal also believed to be eyeing the situation.

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.

Meanwhile, Wickham’s Town reserves and academy strike partner Ronan Murray is a loan target of Colchester United, according to rumours circulating amongst U’s supporters.

Town boss Paul Jewell said in April that he’d like a number of the club's younger players, such as Murray and midfielder Luke Hyam, to go out on loan to lower league sides when the new season starts.

Elsewhere, former Blue Richard Naylor is said to be a target of Doncaster Rovers having been released by Leeds at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

Dissboyitfc added 08:00 - Jun 23 Tractororg..... being a little half empty there, yes he could be another bowditch, but if we are going to get anywhere we need to be strong and bold with our decisions , keep him.. On a half empty note myself.. lol.. george burley spent 10 mill on 3 or 4 players and it achieved nothing, we have haver never achieved much on spending big, i dont think spending big is the answer. what did nodge spend on their promotion winning season?..... KEEP him for at least one more season.. he is gonna be a special talent... COYB

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itfc1981 added 08:05 - Jun 23 nice work Dissboyitfc!
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John_Portman added 08:11 - Jun 23 Oi lads! if we cash in with 15mill, just imagine wat we can get! Dimitri Payet is only 6.5 to Liverpool, and he's premiership class! sure we could find some1 who would come like that!!! and 2!
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Legend added 09:03 - Jun 23 Keep him here for one more season. We dont need to sell him.
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dirtyboy added 09:10 - Jun 23 I swear some of the people who bang on about selling him, have never seen him play. He's the real deal. The last time I got excited by a youngster coming through was Kieron Dyer. He is much more valuable in the team than £10m that has been stated that we don't 'need'. We are fortunate to have a backer in the MEG, and I can't see how you'd replace CW without spending £3-4m in any case. And what £3-4m players are going to want to come here? Billy Sharp didn't fancy it, why should anyone else? However, I keep banging on about it, CW needs to do what's best for him, he comes from a sound family (it appears) and his old man and him would no doubt sit down and think carefully over their options. If a shot at Liverpool came up, personally, I think he'd be daft not to go, even if it does mean a year on the bench/loan. They'll pay him plenty, and that's what you go to work for, to earn as much as possible, as quick as possible, never know when your career will end.

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joe9087 added 09:14 - Jun 23 I think it's best for Ipswich and for Connor Wickham for him to stay here at least one year. If he lives up to his obvious potential, stays injury-free and gets to play upfront regularly this season, he could start banging them in. This will do himself and the club no end of good, and whilst it may see him going next year anyway, if he does well he'll increase his value. He needs to prove himself in the Championship by scoring 15 goals+ in my opinion before moving on, this season, with a better manager and squad hopefully this will happen.

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brogansnose added 09:18 - Jun 23 Firstly there is a clause in his contract that says that we don't have to entertain bids, of what is generally accepted to be no less than £10 M, so there is little point in clubs offering less. It doesnt matter what we think he is worth, the club value him at £10 - £15 M and for once we are in an excellent negotiating position as we have the contract in place. Let's play hardball because I'm sick and tired of us paying over the odds for donkeys over the years and selling or giving away ours at bargain prices. Having said that and accepting the inevitability of losing him at some point, i do think that Connor moving at this stage in his career probably isn't the best thing for him and neither for us as i can see him being better that all the other strikers we have with the exception of Chopra next season.

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Gumpot12 added 09:18 - Jun 23 11M + 4m after 5 england starts will doo :)
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TotalBlue added 09:24 - Jun 23 I think a deal will be done but Liverpool are quite well known for knowing how to bring kids through as does Ipswich. I would hate to lose him but if a loan back deal is done then even 8 million would be good business especially if we can get a deal of more loan players. Although this could make us the liverpool reserve team could be a fantastic way to get top players playing at Portman road and getting us promoted and some of those loan players could then be signed.

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HolbrookBlue added 09:34 - Jun 23 Until the club discloses it is negotiating a transfer for Wickham this is pure speculation. No sources given, just a load of make believe to be ignored.
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andynorman7 added 09:36 - Jun 23 The world has gone mad...if ashley young can be bought for a reported £17million how on earth is CW worth anything like £12m. i like cw but he has done absolutely nothing yet to suggest he is worth £8m let alone anything more. I know i know it's about potential. blah blah blah. But Having another PROVEN £3m championship goalscorer, jimmy bullard, and two quality attacking full backs or keeping CW for another season. Sorry, but there is absolutely no contest!! SELL SELL SELL!!!!

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martyitfc added 09:43 - Jun 23 why is this so difficult 8 mil+ add ons and a sell on clause with loans or plus players like:- SUNDERLAND- meyler,colback,campbell LIVERPOOL- pacheco,ngog,spearing,shelvey,coady,ecclestone,flannaghan,el zhar TOTTENHAM - bentley,naughton,walker,dos santos,cudichini,rose,woodgate ARSENAL - szczesny,squillachi,ramsey,lansbury,emmanuel-thomas,vela,bendtner MAN UTD - welbeck,cleverley,owen, obertan,bebe hargreves etc. CHELSEA/MAN CITY take your pick so if a deal could be done imo 8mil and some of these players could swing it for me BUT 8mil and no extras keep trying and lets start a bidding war guys COYB PREM 2012

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churchmans added 09:52 - Jun 23 calm down calm down (in a scouse accsent) martyitfc and the rest of ya! its all as load of bull! there has been no offer! OK! so chilax thers nothin better to report on
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ITFCson added 09:53 - Jun 23 Marty-They are players your suggesting we could maybe get on loan as part of a deal for CW? You serious...!!! Bendtner, bentley, ramsey, hargreaves...etc, I think they would all find it quite insulting to be asked by there boss...Fancy a years loan at ipswich? Especially Bendtner-The best striker in the world...well in his opinion.
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Crazee added 09:55 - Jun 23 I tend to agree with the majority on here, that if the deal is around the £10-£12 million mark then let him go. Personally, I'd be tempted even at £8 million if the add-ons and perhaps another player on loan is right for the club. Remember, he may not make it to the very top and he is only one bad tackle away from worthlessness. However, I also agree strongly with RetroBlue, and would think we will do well to get 50% of any fee from ME for further signings. ME has obviously ploughed a lot of money into this club, and however much of a fan or not he might be, he is first and foremost a businessman and will be looking for some form of return on his "investment".

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martyitfc added 09:59 - Jun 23 BENDTNER GONNA BE A BIT PART PLAYER FFS WHEN GERVINHO COMES IN ,RAMSEY ON LOAN AT CARDIFF LAST SEASON HARGREVES NOT MATCH FIT BENTLEY NOT PLAYING AND LOADS OF CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE N OWEN IS AVAILABLE what are u saying ITFCson ......... ipswich not good enough for these players and sorry but bendtner aint that great or he'd player in the second best footballing side in the world week in week out and not be a sub and of course wenger would not be looking for new strikers. ipswich on the up with or without these platers COYB

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26_Paz added 10:14 - Jun 23 Get them to go to £10m and then take the money. Connor Wickham will not get us promoted on his own but 4 or 5 2 million pound players we could buy with the money might.
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ITFCson added 10:34 - Jun 23 I agree what you say about those players Marty, but still...they would not even entertain the option of coming to ipswich on loan. Bedtner will prob move to bayern munich...I dont think his ego would allow him to play for ipswich
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UsualSuspect added 10:35 - Jun 23 I should imagine anywhere near to £10 million, then we'll get an option to loan back for the season with a possibility of other loans coming in from the bidding club, anywhere near to £15 million perphaps not. Crazy money for a player not proven at that level, although I'd like to see Connor stay another season we'd be foolish not to accept given our current standing.

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sonian_blue added 10:35 - Jun 23 Have always thought him overated and 2_Paz took the words outta my mouth, the minute £10m is offered Sell,Sell,Sell......................and Sell again.
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notoriousITFC added 10:59 - Jun 23 Martyitfc you are one seriously deluded fan. I wish i was living on your planet... it sounds good.
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ldnj added 11:08 - Jun 23 Now Carlos Vela, that could be good ... sadly not methinks
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whoppit added 12:22 - Jun 23 Sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell !!!!!!
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Bluemania added 12:37 - Jun 23 I think he would stupid leaving let Retroblue says he will spend most of his time on the bench
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jaeitfc added 12:50 - Jun 23 Basicly, look at andy carroll. First season with newcastle was a flop, just a big guy but we even tried buying him for 3 million.. Then next season he had a stormer, newcastle put faith in him, and then he went the season after that for 35 million... Be patient and who knows what will come of him! Its not like we need the money really, were buying players getting players in, im sure people are more likely to come to us knowing that we can keep hold of talented players than letting them go at any time. Also look at jordan henderson and phil jones, potentially both good players and they're worth 20mil/16mil respectively. Considering connor got called up to the u21's in the same squad as them shows he is worth the same if not more, thou he did not play was just because the front line was more experienced,,, Hold out with wickham and we will see a change in fortune for the club.

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