Blues youngster Liam Gibbs is leaving the club after last-gasp talks failed to lead to an agreement regarding a new contract.

TWTD revealed in January that the 18-year-old was yet to sign the new terms which had been offered by the Blues with his current contract up this summer and no one-year option included in his previous deal.

While the midfielder, who made his League One debut in the home game against Charlton last season, was keen to stay at Portman Road, the Bury St Edmunds-based schemer was unwilling to commit to the deal as it stood, although we understand the two parties weren’t too far apart.

As the end of his contract drew closer, the club made no new overtures as other interested clubs monitored the situation, however, according to Suffolk News there were last-ditch talks yesterday - the final day of his existing deal - but those discussions broke down and as of today Gibbs is no longer a Town player.

Given his age, the Blues will receive compensation for his years in the academy, but that figure is likely in the low hundred thousands. Town will have to agree a sum with his new club or the matter will go to a tribunal.

Norwich City, Leeds United, Brighton and Rangers are all believed to have run the rule over Gibbs, who was one of the stars of the Blues’ U18s’ FA Youth Cup run, while Southampton were keen early last season.

Aston Villa, where former Blues head of academy recruitment Steve McGavin now works, have also been linked, but reports that Manchester United are keen are understood to be wide of the mark.

In addition to his one League One appearance for the Blues, Gibbs also made two EFL Trophy starts and one sub appearance.

Photo: Matchday Images

midastouch added 11:21 - Jul 1 Gutted, that's a real shame that is! :-(
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HighgateBlue added 11:26 - Jul 1 Right now it feels like there is no point having an academy. Sooo frustrating. A few hundred thousand will not help a great deal given that anyone we bring in to improve the squad is bound to be on higher wages than he would've been.
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Suffolkboy added 11:27 - Jul 1 Might just indicate that at the moment actually retaining and patiently developing promise in the younger element takes no priority over 1ST team alone ,and stabilising for a solid push . Th3 young man might well feel his options for football education and furthering his career lie elsewhere ! Every bit of good luck to him . COYB
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Upthetown1970 added 11:28 - Jul 1 Gutted. The club should have kept this lad in my opinion. The academy staff must be in shock
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 11:31 - Jul 1 I'd certainly like to know more details on what the problem was. Him or us for a start.
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Orraman added 11:33 - Jul 1 Given his several years of working his way through the academy I would have thought that he might have some affiliation to Town. He was now on the fringes of the first team squad but the lure of big bucks and flash cars seems too irresistible, so a young lad with a promising future will now slowly drift into oblivion and if he is lucky he might end up somewhere like MK Dons or Col U desperate to get a game or he may even end up at Bury Town in the next few years. Shame to see this talent go when there was apparently only a small gap between Town and himself.

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Juggsy added 11:37 - Jul 1 Not really seen any of these poached academy players go onto better things other than more money. No loyalty in football these days.
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Bazza8564 added 11:43 - Jul 1 Yep Orraman you've nailed it. Sadly if the lad wanted to stay and we made an offer, it's purely about money. Salary cap means he has to cut his cloth accordingly or sell his soul to the highest bidder. Shame but thats the reality of the world, our priority is getting out of league one so if we have to shed a few of these along the way to invest in the first team then so be it. Its frustrating to lose academy talent, but we are where we are and if the players want to chase the big bucks regardless, its a pattern that will persist until we get into the higher leagues once again

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itfcserbia added 11:46 - Jul 1 I honestly can't remember a single one of the academy boys who left ITFC and went on to big things in the game. They all just leave and that's it. Don't they learn on each other's mistakes?
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Oldboy added 11:51 - Jul 1 Shame, but he probably looked at the squad Cook is putting together and realised he had little to no chance of getting a game. Good luck to him, but we move on.
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DavefromWatford added 11:52 - Jul 1 whoisjimmyjuan, i agree with you wanting to know what or who was the problem. I wouldn`t like to speculate which it was. He would have been good cover for Penney.
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Marinersnose added 11:54 - Jul 1 He looks a talented lad. I'm disappointed that Cook is clearing out good and bad players but has kept some average players. I'm excited about the new season but somewhat perplexed by what's happening behind the scenes. Motivation seems a problem and man management is key to success in any business.
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DavefromWatford added 11:55 - Jul 1 Oldboy, Do you think he will get a game at Leeds or Brighton, i very much doubt it so he would have been better off here.
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PositivelyPortman added 11:56 - Jul 1 How come everyone is an expert on this 18 year old kid who has played just once for the first team? Ideas above his station I reckon.
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ImAbeliever added 11:59 - Jul 1 These decisions ultimately lay with parents/family members who want what they think is best for their son or daughter. Good luck, have a great future.
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GSH71 added 12:10 - Jul 1 I bet you any money his Parents are saying you go to a big club son , we can get more money then , I can retire then . No kid should hold the club to ransom
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BaddowBlue1 added 12:11 - Jul 1 Probably down to his agent, some of the others who had their head turned "for bigger clubs" havent exactly set the world alight. Anyway good luck at your next club.
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bluelodgeblue added 12:12 - Jul 1 Am I right in saying that if we had academy 1 status the Premier league clubs would have to pay the going rate for any footballer no matter what age??
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masetheace added 12:13 - Jul 1 Another one who will disappear into the black hole that is as Premiership never to be heard of again
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carlisleaway added 12:14 - Jul 1 Allegedly the club would not cough up a decent deal…
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Billericay12 added 12:20 - Jul 1 From what I saw of him he looked nothing like Jason Dozzell, Dyer or Bramble at the same age. As we have seen recently not many of our so called academy prospects have gone on to do very well so perhaps not as good as people think.
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RACKOONA added 12:22 - Jul 1 Only if you know this lad his heart will always be with Ipswich Understanding the process of what he gets offered and what he deserves is for him and his family I can tell you this family is not motivated in money but looking after their sons future as any of us would do. I for one hope he gets a good offer elsewhere learns at another club and then returns to Ipswich later in life to follow his dreams He has spent all his youth proving himself and has got all the time in the world for the academy staff If his 3 peaks charity walk does not show you what kind of person and family he comes from also remember his little donation along with other local young lads to the local hospital It's not all about him and money Good luck Gibbo always a blue

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Linkboy13 added 12:50 - Jul 1 Not a bad prospect but way off first team material especially with Cook bringing in better players. What ever happens needs to further his education on loan somewhere, but not sure if any league club would take him yet because he is still developing physically. At 18 he should be pushing for first team but the fact that he's not shows the quality of our youngsters, compared to other years.

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BlueNomad added 12:50 - Jul 1 Why should we know the whys and wherefores of his contract talks? Would you want all your employer's customers knowing yours? He's gone and that's it. We need promotion from a league where there are significant financial constraints. Nothing else matters for the club at this time.
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grinch added 12:55 - Jul 1 Don't have a go at the lad if you don't know the circumstances. You could argue that everything is not perfect at the club currently. There is positivity but we had that with all previous managers. The backroom staff are now larger than the playing staff and we let youngsters like this leave that is questionable. Again don't know the full story so difficult to really comment just concerned that we have invested heavily in non playing staff but not it seems on those who will actually kick the ball

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