Striker Michael Chopra has ruled out a move away from the Blues on loan during the season ahead and says he wouldn’t be willing to take a pay cut to join another club on a permanent basis. Chopra and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas were told they could find new clubs at the end of 2012/13 with the former Arsenal man believed to be ready to take a drop in wages in order to sign for Bristol City in a swap deal which would see Robins winger Paul Anderson move the other way.

Answering fans’ questions on Twitter, Chopra said he wants to play regularly but doesn’t want to go out on loan at this stage of his career: “I do want to play every week but not as a loan player. [I] won't be going on loan, I'm 29 not 17 anymore.”

The former Cardiff man, who like Emmanuel-Thomas has a year left on his Town contract, has stated on previous occasions that it’s down to him whether he leaves the Blues and says the same would be the case regarding a loan: “[I] won't go on loan, it's down to the player not the football club.”

While Emmanuel-Thomas is believed to be ready to take a drop in pay to move to Bristol City, Chopra, who was linked with Spartak Moscow and Bursaspor last week, says he won’t be following suit: “Why would I take a pay cut just coz I'm a footballer? People expect me to, would anyone else who's not a footballer take one?”

Emmanuel-Thomas, who we understand was initially a Robins loan target in January, is expected at Ashton Gate today for talks with the swap deal expected to go through in the next couple of days.

Speaking last week, manager Mick McCarthy confirmed that both players would still be in with a chance of getting into his team if they remained at Portman Road: “I don’t do any of that bombing them into the stiffs. What’s the point? If they’re here, they’ve got to be earning their keep.”

Elsewhere, former loanee Reece Brown is with the Watford squad on their pre-season training camp in Italy. The Blues were understood to have shown interest in the 21-year-old, who was released by Manchester United at the end of the season, returning to Portman Road on a full-time basis earlier in the summer.

Photo: Action Images

Keaneish added 11:40 - Jul 1 Mmm... My growing concern is the vibe around PR if he stays. We're all positive and optimistic about next season and we're making decent progress in the transfer market. What's the reaction of Town fans going to be like if he doesn't leave, makes the bench or even starts? That negativity and hostility will transfer onto the pitch and for the sake of one player, it seems a waste. I think MM and TC are desperate to get rid of Chopra. Will they put him on the bench? Would they start him given all Town fans loath the man? Will ME want to pay him for a year contributing little if he is left out? A thorn in our side at the moment which needs resolving quickly but lets face it, it looks like he's staying...

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wkj added 11:40 - Jul 1 It's nice how after the club helped him financially he's repaying that by screwing us over financially- I've been fair on Chopra but now all I can see is a selfish baby- I wish football clubs could fire for gross misconduct
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PhilTWTD added 11:46 - Jul 1 StuartSlater I don't think we've made any editorial comment on what he's said, just reported what he's said.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 11:48 - Jul 1 Tractorog - you have certainly misunderstood me and maybe some others - I dont expect MC to go to the club and offer to take a pay cut , however i would expect him to be much more receptive to the idea of a loan move to help the club and himself. To come out with the statement he has is pretty much like saying i dont give a s*** about you im just going to sit here and pick up my cash. Its short sighted and very disrespectful. But then we probably shouldnt expect much more from him.

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pazelle added 11:53 - Jul 1 Enjoy your last season as a footballer Mike!
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Stu_Magoo added 12:04 - Jul 1 I think we should give Paul Taylor 5 pints of Stella and then tell him Chopra said it's time to drink up and leave.
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TR11BLU added 12:11 - Jul 1 When we were originally linked with MC, I was very much against him joining us but got slated on here for my views. His problems were well documented, trouble has always found him and my opinion was further coloured by the vision of him stamping on Garvan one evening game at PR whilst he was with Cardiff. Not a pleasant sight and I vented my spleen then. I have since detested the man and what he represents, all that is bad in the modern professional. I'm resigned to the fact he will be with us for his final year but I dont expect him to wear the shirt in a competitive game again. The bubbly is on ice for Jun 30 next year when he eventually pi**es off. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

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essextractorboy93 added 12:18 - Jul 1 Chopra is an absolute disgrace of a man. One of the worst professionals I have ever known. Never seen a more selfish player, after all the club has done for him, he uses Twitter to say what he wants. He should grow a pair and speak to McCarthy and Evans and then they can settle this as it is no good for anyone. Going to be interested to hear the reception he gets from fans during matches. Fingers crossed he leaves

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MathieandMarshall added 12:21 - Jul 1 he really doesn't help himself does he!
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wrighty_blue97 added 12:26 - Jul 1 Can we all just get off chops' back please? Yes I know he comes across as an arrogant so and so but at the end of the day with the right service (which I feel he will have this year) I think he will be bangin them in next season. Look at what a machine he was at Cardiff with good service (whittingham, McCormack etc) lets get behinn the whole team for our promotion push next year! COYB!

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kerryblue added 12:29 - Jul 1 Chopra really is a greedy little so and so,he should remember where he would be if this club didn't stick by him and bail him out of his stupidity,he should do the decent thing and p$ss off hes not wanted and past it.
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Bluetone added 12:36 - Jul 1 So Chopra sit your contract out, waste it all on Gambling as is your wont. End up in the gutter and wonder where and why it all went wrong. Biting the hand that has fed and supported you is always a very bad idea.
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 12:40 - Jul 1 What an idiot. He needs a contract after this year. Going on loan is his best chance of being on decent money when he's 30-32. Perhaps the same with a permanent move on less money. Sitting for a year with a bad attitude is the opposite of planning for his footballing or financial future. He really does seem to have rocks for brains.
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JustSpivvyChops added 12:41 - Jul 1 Perhaps he has been misinterpreted here and actually what he wants to do is get fit and show some loyalty to a club that has put their faith in him? You can't make summary judgements of people and their intentions based on a couple of selective sentences taken from poxy Twitter!! He may just surprise people and be the 25goal Chopra this season.................we could sure do with that!

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warwickblue added 12:43 - Jul 1 “Why would I take a pay cut just coz I'm a footballer? People expect me to, would anyone else who's not a footballer take one?” Just for the record, Chopra, every public sector worker in the country has had a 1% pay freeze for a couple of years now, which is the equivalent of a pay-cut in real terms. I work 60 plus hours per week for an annual salary of less than what you get in a month. You haven't got a clue have you mate? StuartSlater - there is no personal opinion expressed by the TWTD at all in the above article. What are you talking about?

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Town4me added 12:43 - Jul 1 This man can only be described as an oxygen thief!
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 12:45 - Jul 1 No, don't let this scumbag near the pitch. We may have to pay his wages but I would rather lose 6 points in the standings with better human beings than have him in my team's kit. Never again.
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BlueVelvet added 12:53 - Jul 1 You can only blame ITFC for the mess - it takes (at least) 2 parties to sign a contract - unfortunately ITFC were too keen to sign Chops and gave him a stupidly expensive deal. 2 options, either motivate him to play his part in a promotion winning season ahead, or, freeze him out. If he's worth what he says he is worth, make him prove it. But if after a 1/4 of the season has gone (ie by end Oct) he hasn't cut the mustard, then give him free time on Sat afternoon to spend in the bookies - he has a heap of cash each week to dispose of and without football to play will have aload of time to get rid of it - hang him out to dry.

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WorcesterBlue added 12:57 - Jul 1 There is a danger of reporting anything that is said on Tw&tter in that it can be taken out of context. But then, while idiots post on it I suppose it is inevitable that people will report on it. But tbf I'd prefer TWTD stuck to more interesting and substantial subjects. For what it is worth I think the best solution is to send him out of loan (preferably to somewhere a long way away) but cover some of his wages if needs be just to get him out and recoup some of his wages that can be better spent on a proper footballer. PR will be a far happier place without him.

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village_blue added 12:59 - Jul 1 Well ,what a difference 6 months can make to Chops, in January this is the same man that went knocking on MM's door asking to go out on loan!
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walberswick added 13:05 - Jul 1 sounds like he's spent this years wages already
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Bergholtblue added 13:12 - Jul 1 Make him train with the under 18's he'll soon come crawling to be let out on loan
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Guru_of_Ipswich added 13:18 - Jul 1 For all these people saying he has a contract and we should continue paying up, I wonder where in his contract its says that we should pay up a loan shark to save him getting kneecapped? Not bleating on about his contract then was he! I would rather see a 16 year old kid start in a town shirt than this waste of oxygen.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 13:20 - Jul 1 JustSpivvyChops - i get the point you are making and agree to an extent. The thing is mine and i suspect lots of others comments arent based on a couple of sentences, they are based on a series of comments and more importantly a series of off the pitch incidents. I and lots of others backed MC when he had his first couple of mishaps, but there comes a point when you have to give up on someone, and i have . Would be happy to come on here in a years time and eat humble pie though, but i doubt i will.

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blues1 added 13:24 - Jul 1 it has to be said that once again mc hasn't done himself ne favours by opening his mouth again. but then its only basically a repeat of what hes said before. I don't actually have an issue with the facts of what hes saying, hes merely stating the facts that while hes under contract it is down to him whether he stays or goes. the problem is that he feels the need to keep reiterating the fact. ESSEXTRACTORBOY. im presuming by ur post that if he was to play youd be booing him? ridiculous. apart from nething else could affect the rest of the team. and besides no fan should boo any player who puts on a town shirt. boo a bad performance by a player by all means, but never should ne individual layer get booed when wearing the blue and white. personally,if he was to paly and start scoring goals for us id be delighted. having said that it doesn't mean id not like him to go. think it would be best for all patrties tbh. and I don't think phil has given any opinion on this story. however, I do believe its a story that was unnecessary to put on here as it just a regurgitation of a previous occasion, the only difference being the loan part of the thread.

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