Town owner Marcus Evans is determined to hold on to targeted Blues pair Alan Judge and Andre Dozzell this summer, TWTD understands.

Judge is the subject of interest from QPR and has told manager Paul Lambert he is keen on the move, while Norwich City are among a number of Premier League clubs eyeing Dozzell, as TWTD revealed last week.

A report this morning claiming the Blues had set a price of £750,000 for Judge is wide of the mark, we understand, while Evans has similarly not put a figure on Dozzell’s head with interested parties, with Town believed to value the academy product at around the £5 million mark.

Evans - like Lambert - sees the two players as important to the club’s League One promotion hopes during 2019/20 and wants them to remain at Portman Road and it seems likely the Blues would rebuff all but the most over the top offers for the pair.

As previously reported, Town have instigated contract talks with Dozzell with the club keen to get all their talented young players tied down to long-term deals.

Town owner Evans has shown a similar determination to keep hold of players in the past when clubs have shown strong interest, most notably turning down Leicester’s £7 million bid for David McGoldrick in 2014.

Meanwhile, Sources close to QPR believe the West Londoners would struggle to offer a fee much in excess of the £450,000 which the Blues have already turned down, their initial bid having been £250,000.

Photo: ITFC

Westover added 14:16 - Jul 26 Good news, well done ME 👍
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ITFCsince73 added 14:16 - Jul 26 Good to hear it. We need all current players and another 3 minimum, to stand half a chance imo.
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nineteenseventyeight added 14:17 - Jul 26 Lets hope its true and the faith stays with ME but if a player doesn't want to play for us then let him go!
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Harry_Palmer added 14:20 - Jul 26 Lets hope he shows the same determination in delivering the 3 additions his manager has asked for.
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mojo added 14:21 - Jul 26 Great news. I can understand AJ being tempted, short career etc but to me he is vital to our promotion push, more so now with Bishop sidelined again.
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midastouch added 14:24 - Jul 26 Thank goodness for that, £750k seemed like chicken feed and we'd be crazy to sell at anything like that price.
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MrTown added 14:25 - Jul 26 Can't knock him for this kind of stuff, he always always tries to back his managers by keeping his players here. Not surprised £750,000 is wide of the mark, seems too low for me.
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IpswichToon added 14:32 - Jul 26 If you read back the full quote from PL about Judge's comments, even PL was saying Judge wasn't sure. It's not like he has explicitly asked to leave like many of the news articles would have us believe.
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Barty added 14:34 - Jul 26 Now give PL £2-3 million you tight fisted sod
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kfisher added 14:41 - Jul 26 Lets see what happens ..Pigs might fly over Portman road if both players are here All season. Has the Heat wave affected ME lol.
3

Bluearmy_81 added 14:47 - Jul 26 What a hero...
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PortmanTerrorist added 14:48 - Jul 26 Common sense indeed. Promotion opportunity certainly diminished without these 2, so how do you put a price on them if you want to get back to Champ. I had previously suggested you could not spend the money even if it was millions but forgot that it wouldn't get reinvested regardless. Perhaps PL has realised that by now too !
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SamWhiteUK added 15:25 - Jul 26 Good news. How we should have cashed out on McGoldrick when we had the chance though, in hindsight. £7m for a player who eventually left on a free after spending most of his time on the treatment table.
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HARRY10 added 15:27 - Jul 26 The fee is irrelevant, it is wages that count. If QPR or anyone offers him a bigger wage thn he will be off. Many on here seem to forget that players took a pay cut when we were relegated. Would you stay when you can get more elsewhere ?
0

Steve_D added 15:30 - Jul 26 All smoke and mirrors , P. L says he needs 3 more players M E says he,s not selling 2 , happy clappy lot content , and everyone hopes we forget about the 3 who are not coming
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Bluearmy_81 added 15:33 - Jul 26 Now give PL £2-3 million you tight fisted sod Given that MEs miserly approach has led to us to relegated to the 3rd tier for the first time in 2 generations, how on earth does this end up with down votes?!!
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Dazza67 added 15:36 - Jul 26 Words are but wind Marcus, believe you when these things happen and you start putting some money where your mouth is, PL is doing his bit, about time you started too otherwise he will walk and your have a few voicing their opinions alot more vocally. Thank you.
6

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 15:39 - Jul 26 All those that were whining earlier about 750k not being enough ,see not everything you read is true ! How about waiting and seeing what happens before criticizing. TWTD reports news stories, as it should do , but it doesn't mean they are all true . This is good news ,along with the signing of Crowe. However no doubt some will turn it into an anti Evans post.

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Bluearmy_81 added 15:44 - Jul 26 Way ahead of you bobble. You seeing Marcus for a love in this weekend? 😂
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SouperJim added 15:59 - Jul 26 Good enough for me. Now go and get Lambert the 3 players he needs and repay the fans for their loyalty in the process.
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shouldistayorcounago added 15:59 - Jul 26 Hallelujah, I hope this is true, 750k seemed farcical to me. Fingers crossed he means what he allegedly says.
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beornioblue added 16:02 - Jul 26 set the price on Judge at 4/5 million if you dont want to sell him!!!!
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Tractorboy58 added 16:05 - Jul 26 Good...COYB !
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BeattiesBackPocket added 16:06 - Jul 26 It amazes me how everyone falls for ME's comments. Let's clap the fact he want two guys to stay but if they meet the valuation they'll be off with NO replacement get a grip guys. He's been spouting off for ten years and where are we!? Proof is in the fact we're a league one club struggling to sign players because of wages or not paying fees. I want us to go up but I'm not falling for his promises any longer since five years of promises preseason of challenging under mick to be grassed up by mick that his only remit was to stay up! If he follows through and neither leave then great but he still needs to do a lot more starting by at least getting two of the three signings lambert wants and we desperately need.

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Les57 added 16:28 - Jul 26 I'd rather seeJudge go, as long as PL gets the money to re-invest on someone who wants to be here. To be honest all he did last season was run around a lot with no end product. £500000 for a freebie is good business
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