Town target Joel Ward will sign a four-year deal with Crystal Palace on Monday, according to reports. The 22-year-old Portsmouth defender or midfielder was understood to be weighing up a move to the Eagles or one of other interested parties but now appears to finally have made his choice.

Ward is believed to be due at Selhurst Park on Monday to undergo a medical and to put pen to paper on a deal for an undisclosed fee understood to be in the region of £450,000.

On Wednesday, TWTD reported that Palace were strong contenders for Ward’s signature, however, with the wages they were offering believed to be significantly below the contracts available elsewhere, it had been thought Ward would instead join one of the other chasing clubs. Palace’s relative proximity to his family in Portsmouth is likely to have played a major part in his decision.

Leeds, previously understood to be the frontrunners, dropped out of the race having failed to raise the cash to finance the deal, while Burnley, Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday were the other interested parties.

Ward opting not to join the Blues will be a blow to manager Paul Jewell, who has been targeting the one-time Bournemouth loanee since January when a bid was accepted but personal terms turned down.

In March, Ward was at Portman Road to talk about a loan move before the deadline but Pompey’s administrator pulled the plug on the switch with the crisis club then still having a chance of salvaging their Championship status.

Photo: Action Images

raycrawfordswig added 18:30 - May 25 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
0

COYBitfc added 18:31 - May 25 Bovvvverd
0

bluethroughnthrough added 18:32 - May 25 We have to face it - Ipswich isn't an attractive place to move to. The club hasn't got the reputation it once had, and can't compete with richer clubs, or clubs in bigger cities/more central areas. PJ has got some work on his hands to bring in the right players to make us the team we deserve to be.
0

gibbo added 18:33 - May 25 Clegg thought his offer of a 2 week contract and a packet of crisps was going to seal the deal
0

DutchTownFan added 18:34 - May 25 how exciting
0

MarkITFC added 18:36 - May 25 How Embarrassing cant even beat crystal Palace to a player ! What a Joke ! if we cant sign a player like ward against the likes of CP then we cant expect any decent signings unless we go for the lower league players which no one else knows of ! errrghh !
0

Garv added 18:38 - May 25 Disappointing. Would be interesting to find out exactly what 'attracted' him to Palace instead of the other options. Then again, he's not going to come out and say "It's closer to home and I want to be as close to home as possible" is he.
0

Bluewelshman added 18:40 - May 25 Finaly we can put an end to this w******s mercenary attitude and get on with finding the right players for this club. He was never going to sign with us as the money was no good, he doesnt give a crap about the football. Good luck Palace I think youve got yourself someone youll p**s off as soon as a club with a bigger wallet appears. All this supposed loyalty to Pompey and he wouldnt reduce his wage demands, then he embarked of winding up all the interested clubs by playing the he wants me for X amount I'll sign for you for XX amount. Now lets start talking about proper player who wants to play for the love of the game joining us.

0

borat_the_blue added 18:41 - May 25 Let me guess, we only offered him a two year contract? It's going to be a long summer!
0

billlm added 18:43 - May 25 needs to be near his mummy
0

Steelmonkey added 18:44 - May 25 How surprising that he has signed for palace!
0

peteswindon added 18:45 - May 25 Sad that we cant compete with CP. In fairness to the lad a four year deal must be a big pull. Disappointing but its life, all these comments about him being a mercenary really do make me laugh, would you not want what is best for you and your family?
0

peteswindon added 18:45 - May 25 Sad that we cant compete with CP. In fairness to the lad a four year deal must be a big pull. Disappointing but its life, all these comments about him being a mercenary really do make me laugh, would you not want what is best for you and your family?
0

townietilidie added 18:46 - May 25 Good god !! At last an end to the Joel Ward saga (if this report is true) . Would of loved him to come here but never mind . Can we put this to bed now and move on to the next 10 transfer targets who will turn us down . Lowton from Sheff Utd or the lad Hunt from Huddersfield (not Rhodes) who the star reported on tonight would be ok . Dont wanna get to carried away with all this lower league players hype , still need some good Championship/fringe Premier league players added to the squad .

0

taylor15 added 18:46 - May 25 what a waste of time. CLEGG OUT! getting fed up with him now. if we really want to get back to the premier league, which is where we should be, doing the likes of swansea and hate to say it, but norwich, we need to attract these kind of players. if it involves spending big, spend big. we've got the nuclear of the team now, JET, martin, chopra, hyam, we just need to build a squad around these type of players. sort it out clegg!

0

m14__blue added 18:46 - May 25 Won't lose any sleep over Ward but it does seem to be indicative of a worrying trend. We seem to continually losing out to clubs of a comparable size to ourselves and I don't believe for a minute palace will be offering any more money than us.
0

Cheshire_Blue added 18:46 - May 25 Don't lose any sleep over this one. He never wanted to leave his home town and has been forced into a move.Will he settle anywhere other than on the south coast ?
0

abingdon_blue added 18:47 - May 25 Good work Mr Clegg. At least you have your Olympic freebie to look forward to so its a another productive month for you.
0

Mr_Evans added 18:48 - May 25 In today's world we're no bigger of an attraction than Palace, so what's up with the moaners? It's down to PJ to convince the players to sign contracts here..
0

BillBlue added 18:49 - May 25 Dear God, thank you. COYB
0

tractorlowrie added 18:49 - May 25 Agree with Peteswindon.. I can't understand the mercenary comments. If any of us get the opportunities to move jobs/get a promotion.. Wouldn't we all consider the salary offered and what is best for our families before making a choice? Also.. While I think it is sad that CP have proved more attractive, we are not a bigger club, we are pretty much equal in all senses including playing level (average championship team)

0

Bluewelshman added 18:49 - May 25 Yeah right, he was so interested to stay near his family when his agent offered him to Blackpool when they had an outside chance to get into the Premier league. You don't believe all that crap do you?
0

BillBlue added 18:50 - May 25 Dear God, thank you. COYB
0

jas0999 added 18:50 - May 25 If true, this is bitterly disappointing, yet not a great surprise. It was becoming very clear that ward was only going to sign for us if no-one else wanted him! Yet another top target who has not signed for us. But you have to question what impact PJ's known policy (at Bradford, Derby and now us) of preferring to play older players has on potential young signings? Cresswell and JET apart, last Summer was wasted recruiting and targetting 'Dad's Army' - whilst players like Hyam and at times Drury were dropped to accommodate the likes of Bowyer - a player who in the end left the club. Whatever people on here want to believe, I am sure this does not help in attracting the younger players - agents and clubs will know the policy of managers and PJ's is generally relying on loans and has-beens.

0

alfromcol added 18:54 - May 25 Bluewelshman Totally agree wants to be near his mummy. Glad the saga is over, or is it?
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls