Blues academy youngster Ben Knight, viewed as the most promising prospect currently at Playford Road, is set to join Manchester City’s youth set-up in a deal we understand to be worth just over £1 million.

theAcademyBlog reported earlier this evening that Knight had signed for the Premier League side today, however, we understand that while the move is expected to go through, with the fee agreed and permission from the Premier League granted, it’s yet to be finalised.

England U15 and U16 international Knight (pictured above, front, second right), 16, who was due to start his two-year scholarship at Playford Road next month, is widely believed to have been who academy head of coaching and player development Bryan Klug referred to as "potentially the best player" he has worked with at the Supporters Club AGM last year.

Academy coach Kieron Dyer once compared the diminutive youngster’s style of play to that of Argentine star Lionel Messi.

Manchester City, where former Blues keeper Richard Wright and ex-U23s coach Mark Kennedy both now work, and all the top Premier League clubs as well as sides abroad have been eyeing Cambridgeshire-based Knight for some years and were reported to be planning to make a move back in November 2016.

Up until now, with Knight, who has been with Town since he was eight, having agreed a long-term deal, the Blues had been able to rebuff that interest.

We have our #PlayerOfTheTournament! The @Bulova watch goes to Ben Knight of @ITFC_Academy! Well deserved! pic.twitter.com/XfqJX5baaw– Galway Cup (@GalwayCup) August 6, 2016

Earlier that year, Town lost striker Charlie Brown to Chelsea for compensation of around £650,000.

At the time, former Blues manager Mick McCarthy admitted that it’s difficult for the likes of Town to hold on to youngsters if big Premier League clubs come in for them and the player wants to go.

“It’s always frustrating to lose them at whatever age,” he said. “At whatever stage they’re at you don’t want to lose them.

“It’s just one of those things, you can’t do anything about it. You have to just make the best deal you can.”

theAcademyBlog also reports that Arsenal are interested in another Town youngster, 15-year-old Canadian youngster Marcelo Flores, which we also understand is the case.

Flores, whose father Ruben is a coach at Playford Road, was spotted by veteran coach Steve Foley in 2014.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswichbusiness added 08:24 - Jun 29 The fee should pay the running costs of the academy for a while. Sadly, the chances are that the lad will disappear, never to be heard of again.
1

NottsTractor added 09:07 - Jun 29 Under 16 years old and being 'bought' for £1m. I hope he remains ok as a kid because that must be incredible pressure at such a young age. Not sure I could have maintained my sanity at that age (not sure I did and I wasn't worth a rabbit and a conker to Newmarket Upper School first XI :)
4

BeattiesBackPocket added 09:28 - Jun 29 You have to wonder what the parents are saying in this situation. He could have been a big fish in a small pond here clearly in the first team reckoning in the next couple of years but will now go on to be a very small fish in a very large, mainly foreign, expensive pond instead!
3

wilnisfan added 09:32 - Jun 29 The assumption that kids are better off in premier league academies is rubbish. The youngsters dont have a path to the first team at all. Fewer and fewer managers are given time to blood youngsters in the premier league. They end up on loan but that is a bit of a headfunk for people to get their head around when they are away from home and their usual support.
3

wilnisfan added 09:33 - Jun 29 They should ensure that all youngsters bought this way have a 50% sell on clause, else the money will never get redistributed to where the kids started out.
1

chicoazul added 09:34 - Jun 29 Fuark.
0

cornishblu added 09:46 - Jun 29 Really sad to read this report .....and also then the short termisim of so many fans who think he is too Young and therefore won't get on ..... Rooney scored for Everton aged 16 , why would anyone dismiss this lads potential ...let's hope he makes it really big at Man City ...and then we can bemoan loosing him .....Hurst has to play the youngsters to give anyone signing for Ipswich a belief they will get on , this way we can then afford to loose some of them but will have a much bigger pool to have them taken from. As a club during the MM era we didn't reward or encourage loyalty to the shirt ...let's hope Hurst delivers on this one COYB

2

hampstead_blue added 10:08 - Jun 29 Good luck to him. We have done well to get him this far and he's off to the next level.
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essextractorboy93 added 10:13 - Jun 29 Good luck Ben! Hopefully he goes on to have a good career
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:25 - Jun 29 Shame but not much you can do when city come calling. Head turned but thimk he would be much wiser to stay. Sam Ford anyone....
1

bluehook added 11:15 - Jun 29 Wacko - if only your last sentence came to fruition. Imagine having 3 players in a team with his determination and strength.
0

Edmundo added 11:17 - Jun 29 Money talks, but it could ruin a good career. Alternatively it could make a stellar one. £1 million for us can't be sniffed at. It's all about getting it reinvested and making Our Club stronger, so that we can be back where we belong.
1

runningout added 11:32 - Jun 29 Can't see point in wining, when we aren't setting the footy world alight “Yet” Where as Man City maybe. :-)
0

itfchorry added 11:54 - Jun 29 Take a straight swap for Celina ?
2

Pip50 added 15:15 - Jun 29 Good luck to the lad. Don't see many tears on here at the other end of the spectrum where Ipswich Town suck in thousands of boys and spit them out at all ages when they don't make the grade.
0

jas0999 added 15:59 - Jun 29 Another million pounds into the Evans coffers. Looking forward to even more money being spent on permanent additions to the squad, particularly as plenty of wages must be available with so many players already leaving. Wish the fella well.
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FenboyBlue added 16:41 - Jun 29 You'd think a club with a Category 1 academy would already have enough potential-quality players on their books and enough training to be getting on with, without the need to go luring even more players away from a Category 2 academy. What a stupid 1-sided system we have setup in this country.
0

NITFC added 17:20 - Jun 29 Sad. End of his career then. Whoever heard of a player making it from Manchester city's youth system to their first team. And don't quote Ben Foden (how many games will he start for them this season? One maybe?) This lad will probably go the same way as the promising player that we sold to Chelsea a few years ago. Can't even remember his name So sad for the England team of the future when young talent is not allowed to develop through their own clubs that just might make them stars

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Pip50 added 17:41 - Jun 29 nIt see http://thechels.info/wiki/Charlie_Brown Think he is doing rather well. Twxt
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trncbluearmy added 18:18 - Jun 29 Why are people wishing him good luck? His advisers have renaged on a deal with ITFC and he is joining a club that has bought success with dodgy oil money Is this some kind of snowflake thing?
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happybeingblue added 18:21 - Jun 29 what a shame he doesnt use andre dozell as an example,england recognition at itfc with a promising future ahead,mind you his dad was ipswich ,whereas not knowing anything about this lads parents i am guessing they have no real affection for ipswich,if he is good enough playing in the championship is surely better than boys football with the overload of kids they buy up over the world,they must have bloomin good salesmen at city

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NITFC added 22:39 - Jun 30 Pip50 - actually those stats back up my view. If he had done that playing for Ipswich he would probably have been ahead of the likes of Ben Morris in our pecking order As it is, he has no first team appearances and no England youth caps
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