TWTD understands that Town’s joint bid is for Portsmouth duo Jason Pearce and Joel Ward (left). Blues boss Paul Jewell revealed that he had made offers for three players, two at the same club, after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Blackpool.

Right-back or midfielder Ward, 22, came through the youth system at hometown club Pompey, spending the 2008/09 season out on loan at Bournemouth.

Standing 6ft 2in tall, Ward made his Portsmouth first team debut the following Premier League season and has now made 57 starts and 18 sub appearances for Pompey, scoring five goals. He signed a contract until June 2013 a year ago.

Hillingdon-born Pearce also began his career with Pompey’s youth set-up but after spells on loan at Bognor Regis Town and Woking joined Bournemouth on a permanent basis in August 2007.

The 6ft 1½in tall centre-half established himself as a key member of the Bournemouth side as they progressed from League Two strugglers to League One play-off semi-finalists. In January 2010 he was named the Cherries’ first team captain.

Last summer, after a failed bid from Peterborough and reported interest from the Blues amongst others, Pearce returned to Pompey for a fee of £300,000 rising to £600,000 after milestone clauses are met, signing a three-year deal. This season the 24-year-old has made 24 starts and has scored one goal.

Portsmouth are currently in the midst of yet another change of ownership with parent company Convers Sports Initiatives having gone into administration in November. Despite an already depleted squad, Pompey could be forced to sell members of their playing staff to raise funds.

Pearce

The identity of the third player, a teenager, according to the quotes from Jewell released earlier today, remains a mystery. Players matching that profile linked in recent months include Preston striker Jamie Proctor, Southend midfielder Kane Ferdinand and Leyton Orient winger George Porter.

Town are reported to be expecting a response from Portsmouth in the next 48 hours

Photos: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

RegencyBlue added 19:59 - Jan 17 I'll believe it when it happens!
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 20:14 - Jan 17 PJ you've tried playing 'The Generation Game' and are now trying to 'Play Your Cards Right' but I think the saying goes 'You get nothing for a pair, not in this game'.
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NorseBlue added 20:16 - Jan 17 Incredible if it's true. Both young, promising defenders with some height. Well done PJ if you get these two.
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Keaneish added 20:22 - Jan 17 No idea on these but if tge bloke in the picture ain't any good, he could always get a part in a BBC period drama with that Barnet!!
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dubzyluvschips added 20:24 - Jan 17 LOL ian_marshall = legend
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Ipswich24 added 20:29 - Jan 17 Would be very exciting signings I get myself excited hearing we were going to sign Matt Ritchie the other day then only to be disappointed that we are not biding for him. I wish these transfers would just happen and quick.
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planetblue_2011 added 20:30 - Jan 17 Good to see Pj is after some youngsters! Ward has gotta be better than Edwards and Pearce surely better than the centre backs at the club, apart from Sonko!! Bring it on' hope the teenager is ferdinand
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AlanMahon2011 added 20:33 - Jan 17 Would rather Liam Lawrence tbh.
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bizman added 20:41 - Jan 17 CHED EVANS would fit the bill too btw! He's having a great season
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Kampo added 20:49 - Jan 17 Sounds great if they can be persauded to join and nobody else wants them. This time last year it was Charlie Austin.
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riley26 added 20:51 - Jan 17 The type of players we need in the team, young and obviously in decent positions. In addition there is no point buying the marquee players if the rest of the team is s**t, so these are the types of guys we need to get in as a basis and get settled for a few seasons.
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Keaneish added 20:54 - Jan 17 20 mil Pompey? That would buy the club wouldn't it? Do you want Leadbitter still? If so, he's yours! Didn't our interest in Evans drop off the same time as his rape slur? Would definitely fit the bill for the type of striker Jewell wants to add. Ellington to go next either that or give him a run in the side. Pointless warming the bench week in week out.
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budgieplucker added 21:00 - Jan 17 Hmmm .......step in Eddie Howe, think the Bournemouth connection might scupper us again
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Keaneish added 21:01 - Jan 17 And, hasn't Pearce only just joined Pompey recently!?
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 21:05 - Jan 17 Have just checked out Pompey message boards, what a desperate situation their club is in at the mo, makes supporting ITFC look like a laugh a minute in comparison.
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stinkiusminkius added 21:15 - Jan 17 People on the Portsmouth forums really rate these two but in normal circumstances we'd either not afford them or they'd never sell. However, it seems their lack of owner MAY see us pull one out of the bag. Would be a great coup if we sneaked in here. My fingers are crossed.
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planetblue_2011 added 21:22 - Jan 17 Good to see Pj is after some youngsters! Ward has gotta be better than Edwards and Pearce surely better than the centre backs at the club, apart from Sonko!! Bring it on' hope the teenager is ferdinand
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Pompey added 21:23 - Jan 17 You can keep yer legs crossed too stink cos you'd be p1ssin in the wind if you think either of these boys want away. Regardless of our temporary financial situation, both Pearce and Ward are loyal Pompey boys who have come through our system, and are staying.
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stoofer added 21:44 - Jan 17 you maybe right POMPEY but loyalty is a rare comidity in football.
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glassblower added 22:01 - Jan 17 Sorry Mr Pompey your temporary financial situation has been going on for quite some time and looks like it may go on for a while yet. I doubt we'll be signing your lads but it's not impossible. Money talks.
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Pompey added 22:08 - Jan 17 Agreed Mr assblower, but i think it will be resolved this week. Part of me would like to see my club be rid of the stranglehold of dubious owners once and for all and have the Pompey Trust take a leading role in the rise of a fan-owned club - i can but dream. Do ITFC have a Supporters Trust? I think many fans across the country would like to be rid of corporate ownership.

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Hermann_eats_puffin added 23:02 - Jan 17 Looking at some comments from this site the Portsmouth fans are quite riled about the possibility of these transfers. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/pompey-past/great-matches/ipswich_chase Whilst they sound like promising players and are exactly the type of players I think we should be targeting there's a world of difference between being linked to a bid and actually seeing them signed & holding up Town shirts. Although I'd love to see this double transfer come off I won't get my hopes up.

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Hermann_eats_puffin added 23:09 - Jan 17 p.s. It seems a touch hypocritical for Portsmouth fans to be moaning about the possibility of us buying two of their players for they are surmising would be a lower than normal fee taking advantage of their financial following hot on the heals of them poaching our captain for nothing. I think it's a bit of the pot calling the kettle black. Although I don't realistically hold any hope of these transfers being completed I'd love to be proved wrong.

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KnightZ_87 added 02:23 - Jan 18 @SkipDonahue - Thats such an awesome film. "I bet nobody has ever just sat down and honestly talked to that man." *walks up to Grossberger* "Helloooo!"
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airliner added 05:43 - Jan 18 Well I do think the Pompey fans have short memories. When ITFC went into admin They Portsmouth under Harry Rednapp 1st time round hovered like vultures around PR getting Herman for next to nothing, tried to pay peanuts for matt holland but got rebuffed. So stop all this nonsense about leave our players alone Ipswich when you have previous for this sort of thing and lets not forget tapping up.

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