Town could lose talented young midfielder Liam Gibbs for a relative pittance with his contract up at the end of the month and Premier League clubs including Leeds United, Brighton and Norwich, and Scottish Premiership champions Rangers all showing interest.

TWTD revealed in January that the 18-year-old hadn't signed the new contract which had been offered by Town and that Premier League clubs were keeping a close eye on his situation.

And there is still no agreement regarding those terms with his existing contract up in just over two weeks. Unlike many Blues players, the Bury St Edmunds-born youngster’s current deal doesn’t include an option for a further year.

We understand that Leeds and Brighton are most keen on Gibbs, who made his first-team debut in 2019/20’s EFL Trophy tie at Colchester and played two more games in that competition last season before being handed his League One bow in November's 2-0 home defeat to Charlton.

Rangers are also monitoring his progress and Norwich were among the clubs to send scouts to watch him as he impressed during the U18s’ FA Youth Cup run, while Southampton showed interest earlier in the season.

If there is no agreement on a new deal before the end of the month, Gibbs, who we understand is keen to stay at Portman Road to continue his development, can depart with the Blues receiving only training compensation for his years in the academy.

Town would try to agree a figure with the club he joins but if they’re unable to do so then the matter would go to a tribunal where they may receive only be awarded a couple of hundred thousand pounds.

The midfielder, who will join his brothers in taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge for charity next weekend, signed his first professional terms with the Blues on his 17th birthday in December 2019

Photo: Matchday Images

midastouch added 14:15 - Jun 14 If we lose him for a pittance it will be infuriating, especially if he goes on to have a great career elsewhere. If he went to Norwich that would especially take the biscuit! The current rules seem grossly unfair as the tribunal settlements are derisory and it enables Premier League teams to pick off players for relative peanuts. A future sell-on clause percentage and performance related targets (i.e. appearances etc.) that would lead to additional payments, seems the least that should be added to the relatively small tribunal fees.

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runningout added 14:37 - Jun 14 so be it. That's the downside of bad manager appointments in the last few years and being run badly. I reckon he'll be better off staying for his sake, but he may not see that now. Good luck from myself
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ArnieM added 14:56 - Jun 14 Another young player in move for money shocker……..
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Churchman added 15:12 - Jun 14 If we can't keep players of decent standard, scrap the academy it's a total waste of time and money. We should adopt Premier League Brentford's model
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Upthetown1970 added 15:25 - Jun 14 I for one really hope the club pulls their finger out and get Gibbs contract sorted. I believe that Gibbs wage etc doesnt impact on FFP rules because of his age so I'm sure if the club makes the right offer he will stay and play for us next season.
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ArnieM added 15:26 - Jun 14 ….that is exactly why Brentford got rid of theirs . The problem is the PL clubs have free access to non cat one academies and there's no protection for clubs outside if the PL regarding fees for young “ potential”. It 100% weighted towards the PL
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BettyBlue added 15:54 - Jun 14 Why bother supporting ITFC? Soon there won't be a single element with any attachment to Ipswich, even the tea lady will be on loan from Liverpool or Bristol. Why are we Academy level 2 when we only ned to employ a full time teacher or do a deal with Suffolk College? We've already got more backroom staff than players, one more wouldn't make much difference.
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Linkboy13 added 16:11 - Jun 14 In the Bobby Robson days we were producing youngsters in the top league who would come in and make an immediate impression in the first team. It's a sad state of affairs when in league one we can't produce hardly any decent players to get excited about. Yes young Gibbs is a decent little player but he should be playing games in the first team, especially at this level. Why hasn't he gone out on loan. Because he's not physically ready yet for regular senior football even at 18 yrs old.

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BettyBlue added 16:45 - Jun 14 Surely the extra cash needed for Cat One would be repaid by getting extra cash for any talented youngsters picked off by the Premier League?
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BettyBlue added 16:47 - Jun 14 Why did Cook play Parrot in the last game of the season. Where was Gibbs?
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RACKOONA added 16:53 - Jun 14 Betty blue he was involved in the u18 semi final u18 play off game then was meant to play u23 game I'm sure if he was asked to play in 1st team he would of. He loves the club and many people within the club for what they have done for him to get him this far. He was thrown into a game last season by lambert, he needs a chance to play in a confident team not the team from last season. Hopefully the club will offer him the right deal to stay.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:54 - Jun 14 The system stinks. Tax the PL so that all divisions gain some benefit. And let's get Cat 1 asap.
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RACKOONA added 17:18 - Jun 14 Lot of our young u23 lads around need to be brought in to the mix, let them train around the new guys who are hungry and want success. Gibbs and others all showed in the games they were given a chance they are not afraid, remember him chasing down the defender against Crawley I believe and setting up the goal. Very clever with the ball and delivers a wonderful dead ball proven in u23 and u18 games. Hopefully the klugs and Dyers within the club can persuade the club to offer the right deal, please do not let these lads walk away

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Juryisout added 17:26 - Jun 14 It's a difficult situation to find yourself, a young footballer and his family, if reports correct he's on around £490 a week, Ben knight left and is on £5500 a week at. City, and will either really make it? Well for me two or three years contract I know which pay check I would prefer. Make money now or hope one day you'll make millions if you don't get injured or just loose your touch. Noted also his agent is brother to one of the highest coach at the academy….inside information to sign them but no loyalty to the club? Look at it how you may…money talks

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EssexTractor added 17:38 - Jun 14 Liam Gibbs is a tidy player with a football brain but he is lightweight,, unsure if his pace compensates for that. It seems unlikely that next season he would feature in the first team of any of those “ alleged” interested clubs, and sadly maybe only a back up for ITFCs first team …he is a Suffolk boy and in his heart Ipswich town is his club…but with agent pressures and the glimpse of more money than the pittance he is on now..he may be lured elsewhere …if he goes for those reasons good luck to him BUT maybe the club with its American dollar could tie him down with an extended contract and more bucks and loan him out next season ..but such a shame , for a number of reasons, if once more our local talent disappears…

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bluelodgeblue added 17:47 - Jun 14 Basically it comes down to Evans again?? Trying to get the Academy category 1 on the cheap and falling short?? That sounds very familiar during his ownership doesn't it??
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Linkboy13 added 17:50 - Jun 14 Betty blue Gibbs did not play the last game of the season because he is physically not ready for first team football. Look what happened to young Nydam when he wasn't ready for senior football he got a bad injury which possibly ruined his career at Ipswich. Andre Dozzell also picked up a bad injury when not ready. It's hard to believe that Parrott and Gibbs are roughly the same age, but Parrott is way ahead in his development.

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Monkey_Blue added 17:59 - Jun 14 KernewekBlue… do you recall me moaning about lambert or evans particularly? Lazy attack not based in fact or on evidence. Evans kept us solvent, dumped most of his cash when selling, lambert was average but did ok given he had no money. BettyBlue moaned whoever was in charge. I base my opinions on facts hence….. I thought Mick did a great job in the circumstances and never slagged him off. I assume you didn't know this so commented from ignorance or knew this and don't mind being dishonest? It one of the two

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TractorRoyNo1 added 18:35 - Jun 14 Brentford in the Prem with no academy, we haven't sold any kid for donkey years for decent money, I can see the Yanks pulling the plug on it.
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FAcup78 added 19:12 - Jun 14 Linkboy you talk absolute rubbish. You dont have to be built like a beast to play football there are plenty of very slight international players in the Euros I'm watching right now. Foolish comments!!
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FAcup78 added 19:35 - Jun 14 Parrott 19, Gibbs 18 big difference Linkboy
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Facefacts added 20:11 - Jun 14 Our academy is higher than league one standard, so there will be no way we can keep young players like Gibbs, if clubs at a higher level decide they want to give him a contract. We know we will be working with a smaller first team squad next season so it makes sense for him to leave if the interest is genuine. In a way it is proof that the academy is doing its job if we develop players who go on to play at a higher level. Yes we could have tied him to a longer deal but would he really have broken into the first team next season? We need to move away from having 40 or 50 players under contract,most of whom are nowhere near the first team.

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Linkboy13 added 20:12 - Jun 14 Massive difference FA cup 78 . So why haven't other clubs offered to take him out on loan, because they know he's not quite ready yet physically to play regular football at senior level. It would be foolish and irresponsible to risk him getting seriously injured.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 20:30 - Jun 14 Monkey blue you also claimed the other day that with lambert we were never out the top 6 which was bull as we finished 11th last season and was out the top six when cook came in so again bull You also claimed he built a team from scratch which again was bull. Now I don't necessarily blame lambert for our demise either for me the blame laid with evans as he was the common denominator over 14 years of decline however you're not even interested in giving cook any time at all and he is the one who has to build from scratch with 20 players out of contract you either need to get behind the team or go watch Norwich. He's been here a few games only had no time until now to get his team to play his way he was left with the dross from hurst and lambert give him and the new owners a chance and stop harping on about the past ffs

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KernewekBlue added 21:27 - Jun 14 @Monkey_Blue My comments re: yours are simply made after reading all the needless, never-say-win negativity emanating from it. I never post without considering the facts or from a standpoint of ignorance. I make a judgement based on what I read. Facts are facts, the evidence is there in your posting for all to read... you're a moaner! You moan and whine about things before they happen and seem at your happiest when you attempt to drag everyone else down to your dreary level of doom-mongering. Lighten up a bit matey and try to enjoy riding the wave of optimism a new era can bring. If you feel there's nothing to be positive about in life, I can forward you the number of your local Samaritans office and perhaps you can talk it through with them instead of moping over your keyboard and spoiling it for everyone else? Just a thought!

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