Matteo Sereni's agent has insisted that the Italian keeper will not be leaving Town in the summer. Stephen Firth moved quickly to refute rumours that the former Samdoria man would be off to either Chelsea or back to Serie A in the summer.

Firth said: "Matteo is contracted to the football club. He is an Ipswich Town player until they decide otherwise.

"There is always speculation in football, and especially when players spend time out of the first team, but he is content at the club."

The Chelsea rumours first surfaced in Italy with the link perhaps coming from Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri's connection to Sereni's father. Sereni senior was a manager in Italy and for a while Ranieri was one of his players.

While the agent's statement may be genuine Sereni is clearly one of the top earners at Portman Road and looks likely to be top of the list of players on the way out should Town go down. Finidi George, Titus Bramble and Hermann Hreidarsson also look likely to be on their way if Town return to the Nationwide League.

Firth also represents Amir Karic, currently on loan at former club NK Maribor. The agent concedes that Town's purchase of Karic was an error: "It hasn't worked out, but it is not the player's responsibility. You can't fault him as a man.

"Clearly his move to Ipswich was an error by both parties and I hope to reach an accord with the club once his loan arrangement expires on June 30th."

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