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Town Tight-Lipped But Wickham Talks On
Town Tight-Lipped But Wickham Talks On
Tuesday, 28th Jun 2011 11:11

Town are remaining tight-lipped regarding last night’s report that a £13 million deal has been agreed with Sunderland for striker Connor Wickham. TWTD understands that an offer of £9 million plus clauses totalling an additional £4 million is indeed on the table but with the clubs still discussing the proposed deal.

Town's general policy is not to comment on transfer speculation, chief executive Simon Clegg outlining this approach at last week's Nathan Ellington press conference: "When we have something to say, we’ll say it but I don’t comment on speculation or whatever is out there on the Internet. It’s foolish to do so and it’s a policy I’ve had since I’ve been at the club."

Yesterday’s tabloid report appears to have jumped the gun slightly in claiming that the offer has been accepted by the Blues, however, we understand that an agreement regarding the terms on which the 18-year-old frontman could join the Black Cats may not be too far away with talks continuing.

Despite previous suggestions from manager Paul Jewell that Wickham might not be interested in signing for one of the Premier League’s lesser lights, if a deal is agreed with the Wearsiders and no other offers are forthcoming, it’s difficult to see the Hereford-born frontman turning the move down.

Sunderland have stolen a march on the likes of Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal by firming up their interest in the England U21 international, making a bid which would make him the most expensive player to have moved from the Championship to the Premier League without previous experience in the top flight. In 2006 Theo Walcott made the switch from Southampton to Arsenal for a fee which, after a renegotiation in 2008, eventually totalled £9 million, having initially been set at £12 million including clauses.

The deal would also make Wickham Town’s most expensive sale, smashing the £6.5 million Newcastle paid the Blues for Kieron Dyer in the summer of 1999.


Photo: Action Images



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n0229620 added 11:23 - Jun 28
Really can't see him wanting to join sunderland
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notoriousITFC added 11:24 - Jun 28
I can... they are in the prem - probably will get some first team football there too. Not a bad place to develop I would have thought.
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cvillageblue added 11:29 - Jun 28
As as happened with Carroll - one good season and he will be at a big club. Potentially a good move for him. I'd obviously rather see him at a bigger club with loan back.
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ip5w1ch added 11:29 - Jun 28
I hope he has the sense to stay put and get some further experience with us. They keep telling us he's down to earth etc....guess we'll find out soon whether he is...or if he is just another english footballer.
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bostonusablue added 11:30 - Jun 28
Everyone please wake up to the fact that he is GOING. All those of you saying we need to keep him and the club shouldn't sell him are delusional. Connor will be the one who decides whether he stays or goes, and who do you think asked for the clause in his contract to begin with? Yes, he most likely did.

The few who have also stated that they think that we should not be a selling club. That is laughable. Is Man Utd can sell Ronaldo and Arsenal Fabregas, then we can sell Wickham. EVERY player has their price, no matter who you play for.

I really do not see what all the fuss is about over this sale. Yes he is good and has potential, but compared to Rooney at the same age, he is light years away. This is a good deal for the club and will hopefully allow PJ to strengthen in numbers.

Did Connor even get into double figures last season.........there you go.
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 11:31 - Jun 28
Going to be such a shame if he does move on for the club and mostly the fans who love watching him. All the best if u do, was looking forward to seeing u progress this season.
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JimmyJazz added 11:34 - Jun 28
Once a player sees their club accept an offer for them they often see that as an indication that the club would like them to move on (same happened with Jordan Rhodes). Therefore the decision is:
1 Move to a Prem club who can offer a fair chance of first team football
2 Stay in the Championship for a club who are happy for you to leave

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bbkingsumday added 11:38 - Jun 28
Well said bostonusablue. I just hope another club comes in for him and maybe we'll get a bit more for him, also it's important it goes through soon so PJ can spend whatever he's given from the fee.

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BornBlue added 11:39 - Jun 28
bostonusablue - Finally, someone I can agree with on this Wickham saga. Spot on. I really do hope that Wickham goes sooner rather than later so we can move onto strengthening the rest of the team.
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notoriousITFC added 11:41 - Jun 28
JimmyJazz and Ip5w1ch - baffled by your comments! Ip5w1ch anyone faced with Wickham's options in any line of work would move. Jimmy - just because a club accepts a transfer fee doesn't mean they are not wanted. £9-13 mill is A LOT for Wickham. we have to sell at that price. It gives us a far better chance to bring in players for promotion. Wickham isn't good enough NOW to warrant holding on to him for that money. We can't wait on his potential.
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Behind_Enemy_Lines added 11:42 - Jun 28
£14 million no clauses apart from 20% sell on fee do the deal and lets all move on, yet another itfc prospect we all would love to see in the prem but only playing for us but hey ho sh*t happens !!!
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BYRNE_16 added 11:43 - Jun 28
JUMPING the gun happens a lot on the Internet!
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ipswichtillidie added 11:45 - Jun 28
I do hope for us the fans that if/when CW is sold something BIG exciting has already been lined up... I do not believe he is worth the money they are talking for one second but more for the potential long term investment. Sunderland, Liverpool or who ever realise that they may have to pay 3 times this to attract an English striker (carrol) so see the move as a gamble but a calculated one! I personally don't think CW will live up to the billing and £13million "if" reinvested in young talent could be defining for our future and regaining premiership status..
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CambridgeBlue added 11:46 - Jun 28
JimmyJazz I don't think that's true at all. He's got a release clause in his contract, which is hardly something that Ipswich will have insisted on when it was signed, so he must have (as all good young Championship players do) had his eye on a move to the Prem at some point. If someone comes in and offers more than said release clause, it's still up to the player to turn round and say yes or no. It doesn't mean that Ipswich wouldn't want him here next season.

If he were to stay and score 25 goals, he'd be worth £15m + add-ons, plus the goals he'd have given us for a promotion push. Entirely up to him whether he stays or goes - I'd like him for another season, but for a very talented Championship 18yo striker with a distinctly average scoring record, I'd sell him right now for that sort of money, especially if he'd rather be bench-warming in the Prem. As the article says, it'll make him the most expensive Championship export in history, and I'm not convinced that he's that good at all, and certainly not yet.
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StowTractorBoy added 11:46 - Jun 28
I agree it is innevitable that he will go but may not be such a bad thing. You only have to look at Bowditch, Clark and Garvan to see the funds we missed out on when everyone was raving about them and they attracted very high valuations.
You might get half a million for those three now. I will be sad to see him go but can see why the Club will let him go.
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WickedBlue added 11:48 - Jun 28
@JimmyJazz 2 Doesn't apply, we have no choice if their offer matched or exceeded what was in the contract clause....whether the club wants him to stay or go it doesn't matter we have to honour the contract....
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robdaful added 11:55 - Jun 28
With other clubs knowing this might see more bids come in to steal him from sunderland.

Suprised Spurs haven't come in, yet. Harry seemed really keen in Jan.
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byebyesheepshanks added 11:59 - Jun 28
Sell potential (8 goals) of CW for £13m. Buy back the now established (25 goals) with potential Jordan Rhodes for £2m. What a good piece of business that would be.
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RetroBlue added 12:03 - Jun 28
The "waste" will happen if Jewell is not allowed to re invest ALL the money from CW transfer - as was the case when Dyer went. The £7m we got from him effectively got Town promoted because of the players that money brought in!
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CambridgeBlue added 12:06 - Jun 28
I think describing Rhodes as a 25-goal-a-season man in the Championship (or indeed CW as an 8 goal man in L1, which is the converse) is a little premature. As someone mentioned on another topic, it was Rhodes who was on the bench at the back end of the season and not scoring any goals for Huddersfield, and Gary Roberts who was the first man on the team sheet. Want him back too?
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brockleyblueboy added 12:14 - Jun 28
What a waste. Sh*t club, sh*t manager. He won't develop there and he will be back in the championship next season.

He will be another Darren Bent, great player that will never quite reach the dizzy heights and move around a lot.

What a shame.
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sonian_blue added 12:16 - Jun 28
Bostonusablue you are spot on and Stowtractor also.
If we hang on to him for another season the wool may well be pulled as per Bowditch etc.
Maybe I am missing something but I cannot for the life of me see how he is worth anywhere near the figures being quoted and that has always been my view. Still get the future clauses in there and I hope I am wrong and he goes on to make us a tidy packet.
For now tho...TAKE THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 12:16 - Jun 28
if the deal makes up to £13m i reckon we'd do well to cut and run.Stowetractor is right look at the likes of Bowditch ect,.Im sure CW would be [or maybe still ]a major player in any promotion bid]but he will be off sooner or later,and it will be on his mind.Lets make good use of the money and move on.
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40yearsablue added 12:18 - Jun 28
SELL SELL SELL SELL!!!
To even have a chance of promotion we need PROVEN CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS, not rookies. Connor does have great potential but was out-played, out-thought, and taught lessons so often last season by experienced defenders who know all the wrinkles (e.g. remember Norwich at home, he didnt get a look-in. He did however get a punch in the kidney when the ref wasnt looking...).
So lets spend £4m each on a couple of excellent winners, with quick feet, who know where the goal is - starting with Billy Sharp.
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whoppit added 12:25 - Jun 28
This is all good. Selling a kid who has only potential at this point for massive cash that PJ can invest in all areas of the team and try and get us out of this league. Please don't buy any more old mates or ex-Wigan players who are past it though !!!! Billy Sharp would be a promising start.
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