Town boss Paul Jewell has admitted that it might be difficult to keep midfielder Grant Leadbitter at Portman Road beyond the end of his contract in the summer. Leadbitter, 26, was offered new terms earlier in the season but with no further talks since then.

Jewell told the BBC: "We have not had much dialogue, I've got to be honest.

"We'd like to keep him. That might be difficult but that's his prerogative and I have no arguments with that.

"At the start of the season I think there was an offer made to his agent. They wanted to see how the season went, I think.

“But you can see by his attitude he doesn't have a problem with it. I just want him to play well between now and the end of the season."

The £2.65 million signing from Sunderland in the summer of 2009, who scored both Town’s goals in the 2-2 draw at Hull City last week, is back in training after suffering a minor groin injury at the KC Stadium.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

bluelady added 19:08 - Mar 15 Def has talent but not consistent... upturn in form maybe his bid to get a contract elsewhere..... would not over pay def replacements out there!!!
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pennblue added 19:09 - Mar 15 Another 2 1/2 million up the swanny
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Pettitt10 added 19:14 - Mar 15 good player when he wants to be but hes not committed to town, if he wont accept our terms then let him go.
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alfromcol added 19:15 - Mar 15 Another one like Norris, his agent already has something lined up so they can share a large signing on fee.
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MarcFowler added 19:23 - Mar 15 I think he's a good, tidy player. Remember when he first arrived and he looked a cut above the rest of our (Fairly workman-like) midfielders? Unfortunately it's not really happened for him. I don't know why.. but he has looked pretty unmotivated at times. I think we should offer another year but no more, because he hasn't proven himself overall. If his recent performances became the norm he would be worth keeping but he HAS to add more goals to his game, and he has to be more creative.

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strikalite added 19:26 - Mar 15 Agree re agent....you virtually need players who are good enough to walk straight into a few Prem sides in order to get out of this league now, so for me, GL can go..
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Vic added 19:39 - Mar 15 Pennblue - hardly money up the swannie. He's abeen a regular for the best part of 3 years.
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harlingblue added 19:41 - Mar 15 Give Luke Hyam a real contract, work on him, give him match time, if Grant wants away so be it! Do the old Ipswich thing...give youth a chance. PJ look at your current squad, Murphy by the way he is prepared to play out of position would like to be here?, Carlos has signed, Scotland wants to stay...give him another year, but let him be prepared to take a cut in wages, Smith a new 2 year contract, Carson has signed a new deal, give Bullard a kick u.t.a, he has been a great let down to us fans, he has been a disgrace to the footballer he could be, and is bleeding us dry on his money, denying us of his skills, or a player that could want to play for ITFC.

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jas0999 added 19:42 - Mar 15 Has played well recently. We shouldn't pay over the odds either. But if I were Grant I would move on - just as Norris and McCauley did. Clegg has YET AGAIN failed to address these key contract issues. as with Roy, this is NOT PJ's fault - but contract negotiations should have been concluded some time ago.
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s6blue added 19:54 - Mar 15 in all honesty - bothered!
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bluelady added 19:59 - Mar 15 Jas to be fair on Clegg on this one Grant was offered a contract he just wouldn't sign it but agree we have let two many players we played over the odds for go on a free!!!
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bluelady added 20:01 - Mar 15 * paid!!!
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pennblue added 20:05 - Mar 15 Vic, we should have got shot of him last summer if he was not going to sign up. It is poor management of players contracts again.
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evansblue added 20:06 - Mar 15 Pretty obvious that he has signed a contract somewhere else. I do not think we saw the best of him but that was not helped by playing alongside Norris for 2 years. Their partnership never took off
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neilvanlimbeek added 20:11 - Mar 15 Poor mans Jermaine Wright
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tractorboy2434 added 20:12 - Mar 15 He has been offered a new contract and is waiting to see what else is offered, that is his choice and we should wait and see what happens, is a good squad player but was dreadful in first half of season.
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BillBlue added 20:19 - Mar 15 I think we should wave him goodbye. When we needed him he didn't really play for us and if he was offered a contract and ignored it, that is enough said. I think PJ is wrong in playing him in lieu of Luke Hyam who should be gaining experience, ready for next year, instead all grant is doing is putting himself in the shop window hence his vast improvement in the last few games, just as Bullard did with us last year. The sort of player we want to keep is the current Captain who is becoming, IMO, a Blue, keep him even if he is a (granddaddy!), his heart is in the right place. COYB

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SamWhiteUK added 20:23 - Mar 15 Crikey, jas blaming someone other than PJ for once
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Keaneish added 20:28 - Mar 15 Sorry, but this is a bit of an insult if Grant Leadbitter thinks he deserves to be at a bigger club or on better money by the end of his contract. No way has he done enough in two years to deserve increased terms and i'm pretty sure the majority agree. Fine with keeping him but i wouldn't expend too much energy on someone who isn't integral to the team.
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clive_baker added 20:36 - Mar 15 Wouldn't mind at all if he moved on. On the best part of £1 million a year in wages by all accounts and average at best. Expect he'll move on to a Leicester or a Leeds and be equally as mediocre.
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PauloJulio added 20:43 - Mar 15 Hope he isn't taking advice from David Norris!
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Ipswichbusiness added 21:03 - Mar 15 Well at least we know that he won't be going to Portsmouth. So much depends on the deal. It would be nice to keep him, but only if the money is right for us not him. I can't see other sides lining up for him.
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WarkyWonderLand added 21:18 - Mar 15 Why play him if he is on his way? Give hyam game time to build on partnership with drury. Look to next season and the future PJ. Coyb
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Vizslaraner added 21:19 - Mar 15 Agreed he's had two good games recently but no thanks. Never shown what we brought him for and not the future of ITFC. Get shot. Up until recently his body language and performance stank! He's not committed and should never of been captain of this club. Hyams the future as is Carson. Someone more mobile in the summer. Perhaps like his mate Norris he will find out the grass isn't greener on the other side

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Vizslaraner added 21:22 - Mar 15 Agreed he's had two good games recently but no thanks. Never shown what we brought him for and not the future of ITFC. Get shot. Up until recently his body language and performance stank! He's not committed and should never of been captain of this club. Hyams the future as is Carson. Someone more mobile in the summer. Perhaps like his mate Norris he will find out the grass isn't greener on the other side

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