Danish defender Jonas Knudsen is refusing to allow his own personal contract situation to interfere with the overall task of keeping Town in the Championship.

Knudsen, 26, is in the final year of his current deal, meaning he is free to talk to other clubs during the January transfer window, and if he remains on the books through to the end of the season he could leave for nothing.

New boss Paul Lambert admitted he had seen enough in Knudsen’s displays during his first two games in charge to decide he should be awarded a fresh deal and the player revealed things have progressed over the past week or so.

Knudsen said: “I spoke to the gaffer before he spoke to you guys and he wants to speak to [owner] Marcus [Evans]. I have had a small conversation with Marcus — it was alright, just a little chat — and when he said he would speak to my agent I said ‘Perfect’.

“We had a good conversation to be fair and he made me feel wanted, but I am leaving it to my agent now so that I can concentrate on playing football and helping the club to climb away from the bottom of the league.

“That is what is more important right now. My agent will talk with Marcus and we’ll see what happens from there — that’s how it is.”

Asked if he was disappointed not to have had a contract offer earlier, Knudsen added: “I think we just have to take it from here. The gaffer came in and I have to say he got straight on to it. I’m into the last year of my contract now and I have to look after myself.

“But it is good that the gaffer came in and said he wants to offer me a new deal and there is no point in looking back.

“I have spoken to both the gaffer and the owner but now I am leaving it to my agent and we’ll see what comes out of that.

“I have said all along that I would like to stay here. I’ve had an absolutely brilliant time over the three and a half years I have been here.

“If we can get a good solution I’d like to stay here but we have to wait and see what comes through.

“My main focus has to be on helping us to get out of the situation we are in, which I am not happy to be in.

“We all know how things can change in football, and often very quickly, so let’s wait and see what happens after my agent has spoken with Marcus.”

Some supporters have made Knudsen a target for their frustration and not even the fact that he has strengthened his position with Denmark after representing them in the World Cup in Russia has convinced them of his value to Town.

He continued: “I will always do my best and give 100 per cent in every game, for the team, the club and the supporters.

“I’m an honest guy and I will always do as much as I can for this club. That’s why I don’t want to be focused on anything else at the moment.

“The most important thing is the club and getting ourselves out of this situation, and I’ll do that.

“I have been here since the summer of 2015 and I don’t like being where I am now, bottom of the league.

“First and foremost, before I think of anything else, I want to get Ipswich over the line and safe.

“You can be sure I will be doing everything I can to achieve that. Every time I go out on the pitch I want to win and it’s the same with everything I do, even if I’m playing a board game. I’m an Ipswich Town player and I want to everything I can for this club.”

Knudsen recently admitted there had been firm interest in him from Middlesbrough during the summer but he stayed put, although both he and goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski, who was on duty with Poland at the World Cup, were dropped by former manager Paul Hurst during his time in charge at the start of the season.

Asked how close he had come to departing Portman Road, he replied: “There will always be some rumours — that’s how it is in football — but nothing is done until a deal is done. Whether it was close or not I’m here now and fully focused on what we have to do to get out of trouble and make sure we stay in the Championship.”

Could the club’s position in January have a bearing on his Ipswich future? “I’m just focused on what we are doing now and we have a very important time coming up,” he said. “It is going to be a big few weeks between now and the New Year for everyone.

“We have to make sure we get some points on the board and that we are in a better position than we are in now.

“We have to be ruthless about what we do in the next month or so because it is so important for the club and that’s what matters most.”

Photo: TWTD

ArnieM added 16:36 - Nov 27 Well for someone who's only interested in “ helping the Club” he's done more belly aching in the press than anyone else I can recall. I suspect he will still leave for pastures new, as he considers himself to be a top player at this Club.sorry but I really don't like him, and he's an average full back at best. Wouldn't worry if he left.
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BrixtonBlue added 16:50 - Nov 27 He's been asked these questions by a journalist.
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michael99 added 16:51 - Nov 27 No doubt if offered a better contract elsewhere will go,but in all honesty no great loss l Although he is tough ,fit and very rarely injured has no quality on the ball and rarely if ever stops crosses coming in. If only kenlock had his durability as he a much better player
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Radlett_blue added 16:52 - Nov 27 Knudsen is leaving it up to his agent to assess offers. I'm sure he won't be short of interest; I expect him to go for free in the summer as hard to see Town making him a decent enough offer, especially with the uncertainty about which division we will be in. Evans doesn't appear to learn from his mistakes, does he?
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Suffolkboy added 17:03 - Nov 27 Get real AM !-- journalism is about raising interest and ' argument ' ,even controversy & it seems they find it a rewarding task with you as a reader .PH was a little man , in every aspect ,trying to do a job way beyond his abilities ( look again at the ' Peter principle ' ) , and proved with his assistants a destructive ,bigoted non- manager of men ! Do not blame JK & BB ,or others , for a near complete destruction of lots that was / is good ,even great about ITFC . Put trust in PL in all he's doing ,cut the useless critiquing pro- tem ; see , believe and echo the positive ! Up the Blues !

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blueboy1981 added 17:52 - Nov 27 Have to agree ArnieM - Prima Donna if ever there was one - suffers from delusions of grandeur. Anyone would think he is a world class player, and by far the best at the Club - probably feels he should be playing for Man Utd, Man City,or Liverpool. Not to mention European Clubs. Get real Knudsen, and start consistently producing the goods.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 18:34 - Nov 27 He just talks straight, never has he said he wants to leave, he didn't hand in a transfer request despite Boro comming calling (Unlike Waghorn who didn't but did all but). All he ever said was that if the new manager didn't fancy him and if not contract was forth comming then he would have to look after himself and look around. What's wrong with that? If my workplace put at risk of redundancy I'd be looking around straight away, not wait for them to make their mind up (unless a fat pay off is in the offing for service length) and so would everyone else. The lad has a family to look after too and to do otherwise would be negligent. Journos ask questions, he answers them. Some people are rewriting history on this one. This has nothing to do with his ability (or lack of depending on your personal opinion), particularly this season but throughout his time we can all agree his quality has been mixed but he shouldn't be getting the stick he is for an honest and fair answer to an honest question and the vitriol that has come his way since the summer has been unfair and unwarranted and is not from the fans that I remember as boy. He gives 100% and he scores against Norwich. Should we keep him, dunno, he's platued but that' doesn't deserve the deserve the anger he gets.

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Elto added 19:01 - Nov 27 Remarkable, given what a poor player he is (reading some of the the comments here), that Lambert wants his new contract sorted. Isn't it Blueboy?
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ITFCsince73 added 19:20 - Nov 27 I don't rate Jonas one bit. He fills me with as much confidence as Chambo. Denmark must be desperate to keep picking him. Although only picked to fill squad numbers. If he was as good as he himself thinks he is, he would have left last summer. When all the rest of the better players we had, left our club.
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1RWR added 19:41 - Nov 27 ITFCsince73: I take it you didn't see him flying down the left on more than one ocassion on Friday night then? I've said this time & time again.......perhaps he was 'told' to play defensive/hoofball from the previous managers? Perhaps PL can get him playing better, more constructive football? Doesn't really help with moronic statements like yours to be honest. Try supporting the guy, if he leaves in the summer, you're right & I'm wrong.

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ITFCsince73 added 19:53 - Nov 27 1RWR. Yes I see him flying down the wing in most games he plays. It's the casual can't be bothered jog back into position that normally gets my back up. His poor defending and positional sense is another few things that annoys. The drying the ball in his shirt before a famous Jonas long throw does not bother me now, as 99% of the time just results in an opposition attack, so know what to expect. As I said if he had quality he would have left last summer,

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cat added 19:58 - Nov 27 Agree with Arnie, itfc..73 and blueboy etc on this one. Overrated imo, credit though for his first rate attitude and commitment, unfortunately came out and defended the Dino ‘after he left'! not a sound move and he should have kept stoom. Rather see Kenlock as he's better going forward, defensively, not a lot in it. Bottom line is with the exception of Penn our defence is poor, whatever happened to Donacien, he was quality at start of season and looked unbeatable against Villa.

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Sixto6 added 21:17 - Nov 27 Knudsen is average at best, although compared to Spence he is world class !! I'd be surprised if any of the back four were here next season, not been the same since Smith and Berra left !
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leftie1972 added 21:25 - Nov 27 @cat...with regards to Donacien, I believe the issue is one most of the team have had until the arrival of PL. and that my friends is a lack of self belief and being put down. If you're told it often enough you'll start to believe it I'm afraid.
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JCBLUE added 07:18 - Nov 28 Irrespective of individual opinions, very sensible move by PL to address this issue. Sends a huge message to the rest of the team & new contract doesn't mean that Jonas can't be sold further down the line. Excellent man management skills.
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Gilesy added 11:29 - Nov 28 The internet has a lot to answer for; yes, the porn and the funny kittens are great, but it's also given a mouthpiece to people whose views are really best left inside their own heads. I love Knudsen...not particularly for his football skills, but for actually answering questions and having a personality. I lose count at the endless platitudes churned out by dull footballers. Knudsen has been asked questions and has answered them, yet gets slagged off by so many on here. Football is his job. Leave him alone.

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SouperJim added 12:02 - Nov 28 Give him a contract, if his form doesn't pick up, sell him. Clearly he has a decent profile. As it stands, we're letting at least half a million quid walk out the door in the summer.
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BlueSmith94 added 13:23 - Nov 28 Some of the comments are harsh, and they have been since he joined. He's the type of LB that defends first and attacks second. Compared to Cresswell and Mings he isn't as good going forward. Knudsen is a good defender, he plays for the badge and that's the type of player we need to keep. Kenlock is better going forward but isn't fit, but once he is the competition for LB will be very good. If he does stay that leaves us with two good LB's, Kenlock and Knudsen. We do need a new RB because Spence is not good enough, whether Emanuel is the answer or a new RB I don't know. But this is something, along with a striker that can score goals, that needs to be sorted come Jan.

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BlueSmith94 added 13:23 - Nov 28 Some of the comments are harsh, and they have been since he joined. He's the type of LB that defends first and attacks second. Compared to Cresswell and Mings he isn't as good going forward. Knudsen is a good defender, he plays for the badge and that's the type of player we need to keep. Kenlock is better going forward but isn't fit, but once he is the competition for LB will be very good. If he does stay that leaves us with two good LB's, Kenlock and Knudsen. We do need a new RB because Spence is not good enough, whether Emanuel is the answer or a new RB I don't know. But this is something, along with a striker that can score goals, that needs to be sorted come Jan.

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MoscowBlueMule added 15:18 - Nov 28 He can't be all that bad if he's getting picked for his national side and Mbor and Stoke wanted him in the summer. ITFC73, you hit the nail on the head, he's slow getting back. Add that to his game then he's more than a good Championship player.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 16:25 - Nov 28 Typical you Blueboy1981 - you have no idea what JK thinks but you make assumptions and berate him for them . As others have said , he was asked a question and answered it . Also the way in which he answered was that he wanted Town to make an offer and was frustrated that they hadn't . Why shouldn't he do that I don't blame him . He's not the best player in the world but he should be in our current best eleven and to replace him with better would cost a fair bit. But he certainly has done nothing wrong in my book .

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Currie10 added 16:57 - Nov 28 Seriously Knudsen - bore off with your contract right now. I don't think many of us care given the plight of our football club. You're on around £10,000 p.w including bonuses etc, you'll get more £££ elsewhere if you leave. We don't know what division we're going to be in yet, so we can hardly offer you improved terms right now - what player would accept reduced terms? As for you as a player - I am in the MEH camp with you - however, my opinion aside you clearly impress managers as you're a regular under Lambert / Hurst / Mick and have played for Denmark. Perhaps you're a lot better on paper than you often appear during a game - ala say Fellaini for Man Utd? People slate him - but he plays under whoever is the manager. You're nowhere near as bad as many say, likewise, you're not as good as others say.

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blueboy1981 added 17:25 - Nov 28 ........ typical of you Bobblehat ..... !!
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:23 - Nov 28 Blueboy , what ? Being correct ?
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