Town boss Paul Jewell has revealed that the Blues have lodged bids for five players, three understood to be from Portsmouth. The pursuit of Pompey pair Jason Pearce (pictured) and Joel Ward continues, with a third player also now targeted.

Jewell told the club site: “We are looking to improve the team and not just for this season but in seasons going on.

“We have offers in for five players. They are all players, young players, that are at an age that they can help take Ipswich Town on.

“We think the offers we have made are fair ones. Obviously we know the transfer deadline is approaching and we’d like to have some new faces here before the West Ham game but we will have to wait and see what happens.

“Signing a player now, any player, is so complicated — and so frustrating.”

The Blues are continuing to talk to Pompey about Pearce and Ward with the south coast side looking to raise cash to cover their unpaid PAYE bill.

A third Portsmouth player is being targeted with a bid for all three around the £2 million mark having been lodged since the second offer was turned down on Monday.

However, other clubs are also eyeing Portsmouth players and not every member of Michael Appleton's already very stretched squad will be for sale.

One of this morning’s tabloids links Fulham with a £500,000 move for Pompey’s 18-year-old Australian winger Ryan Williams, who would appear to very much fit the profile of the type of player Town are after, while Aston Villa are also claimed to be interested. Keeper Stephen Henderson has also been mentioned as a Newcastle target in recent weeks, while Hungarian striker Márkó Futács is another who could be attracting interest.

The Blues appear to have given up the chase for 17-year-old Powell having had their initial bid turned down, Jewell admitting that one of his proposed deals is “dead”.

Claims of Town interest in Michael Owen and ex-Blue Titus Bramble are somewhat unlikely, while Sheffield United full-back Matt Lowton is not believed to be amongst the five, despite continuing links with the 22-year-old, who was previously mentioned in connection with the Blues back in September.

Photo: Action Images

ruffcider added 20:24 - Jan 26 Stonhamblue and captain crunch, you talk sense, it was our fault and we deserve whatever is coming to us. It's just us as fans are literally clinging on, a good price, even for players we can't afford to sell, could be the difference with our existence. You've obviously been through it yourselves, and have come out the other side, let's hope we're here to play you next season, I've nothing against Ipswich. Good luck

0

suffolkpunchdrunk added 20:30 - Jan 26 At this rate we are more likely to sign the Pompey pie man, tea lady and Nelson the dog, the Portsmouth FC mascot. ME, SC & PJ - Please remember there are only 31 days in January and time is running out.
0

stewartwonderland added 20:31 - Jan 26 I hope Clegg has given Portsmouth a deadline with this deal by end of the week or I can see this dragging on to the final day of the transfer window. Portsmouth do not want to sell their best young players at this point as this would put off potential buyers of the club. Instead they will wait and see if they can offload some of the higher earners first and hope that a buyer comes in. We do not want to waste anymore time on this, the longer it drags the less chance we will have of getting in other targets.

0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls