Former Blues midfielder Liam Gibbs’s move to Norwich City has been confirmed, the clubs having agreed undisclosed compensation for the 18-year-old.

TWTD reported last week that Gibbs, who joined Town aged eight, was set to join the Canaries subject to the clubs coming to an accord regarding compensation for his years in the academy, which is understood to be somewhere in the mid-hundred thousands.

The Bury St Edmunds-born youngster, who will initially be part of the Norfolk club’s development squad, has signed a deal which runs to the summer of 2025.

"I am very, very excited. I am looking forward to starting my journey as soon as possible,” Gibbs told the official Norwich site.

"It is a new step for me and for my career. I am looking to make the most of it, showcase my talent and hopefully I can help the club keep moving forward.

"I have seen young players in the past that have gone through the academy and into the first team.

“Norwich have a reputation for bringing through young players and I just want to be the next one to get into the first team and make things happen.

“I can see a clear pathway for me. Now I am just excited to get started, fulfil my potential and show everyone what I can do.”

Reflecting on crossing the Suffolk/Norfolk divide, he added: “I have got to do what’s best for my career at the end of the day and I felt like this was the club that I needed to come to.

“It is not ideal being the rival club, but I am happy with my decision, and I am sure it will be beneficial for me and my career.

“I just wanted to get started now. I have been here waiting for it to happen and now I am ready to go in, get started, meet the team and play some football.”

As reported earlier this month, last-gasp talks between Town and Gibbs broke down on June 30th, the final day of his existing Blues deal, the club having offered a new contract late last year.

TWTD revealed in January that Gibbs was yet to sign the new terms offered by Town with his 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, he was unwilling to commit to the deal as it stood, although we understand the two parties weren’t too far apart.

Norwich had long been keeping an eye on the youngster’s situation and were the long-time frontrunners for his signature, while Leeds, Brighton, Rangers and Southampton were among the other clubs to have previously shown interest.

As the end of his contract drew closer, the club made no new overtures as other interested sides monitored the situation prior to the deadline-day talks.

In addition to his one League One appearance for the Blues, Gibbs, who was one of the stars of Town’s U18s’ FA Youth Cup run last season, also made two EFL Trophy starts and one sub appearance.

Photo: Matchday Images

JackSted added 09:12 - Jul 23 Really not bothered by this. But wouldn't it be funny if he did a Kundai Benyu
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OwainG1992 added 09:12 - Jul 23 Good luck kid. Does leave a bad taste him joining them.
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Upthetown1970 added 09:14 - Jul 23 Best of luck Liam. Shame we couldn't keep hold of you as you are the best youngster I have seen for a very long time. We should have done more to keep Gibbs in my opinion.
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dangerous30 added 09:16 - Jul 23 He made his choice time to move on
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BlueandTruesince82 added 09:17 - Jul 23 Avoid Twitter today
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chrismakin added 09:20 - Jul 23 Money Grabber at 18, least clubs know what to expect from him through his senior career.
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TractorCam added 09:21 - Jul 23 Before heads fall off, let's presume he isn't an Ipswich fan. Of course as an 18 year old this move makes sense. If you were at Portsmouth's academy and Southampton came calling, you'd do the same. Moving on.
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FattyBoomBoom added 09:23 - Jul 23 May the Lord have mercy on his soul.
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abandon_hope1978 added 09:24 - Jul 23 Don't know why we're so bothered by this. Players come and go all the time, and with the greatest respect to Gibbs, we've only lost an U23 not a first team player.Good luck to the boy but let's move on.
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BlueArrow added 09:27 - Jul 23 Never to be seen or heard of again
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Karlosfandangal added 09:32 - Jul 23 Would have been nice to keep him as he looked good what I saw of him. But there again Dozzell Downes looked good too but never really set League one on fire. This season we need players who can get us out of this division and keep us in the Championship. On the plus side some money to help with the 60% turn over I guess
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Timefliesbyintheblue added 09:34 - Jul 23 They are category1, we are category2 - there is a world of difference. I could list a load of their players who have moved on for large fees and to be honest who can blame the young man. Our young players seem to have potential that rarely comes to fruition; their's I'm afraid 'walk the talk'. Perhaps we should do as Brentford who ditched their academy to work on premiership outcasts - seems to have worked!

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itfctim added 09:34 - Jul 23 Couldn't command a place in a poor League 1 side, so he moves to the yo-yo dark side. Hmm...makes sense...not. At least his agent has made a few quid.
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blueinscotland added 09:35 - Jul 23 Really disappointing, this. 10 years in our academy only to move to our fiercest rivals. I get it, he's 18, Norwich is close so it'll be easier for him to settle, good track record of developing young players, premier league team, etc. But this does reflect the lack of loyalty modern day footballers seem to show now. And it's not as if we didn't want to keep him either. Time will tell whether he made the right decision or not, but there's certainly a plethora of players for whom it most certainly did not work out.

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ChrisFelix added 09:35 - Jul 23 I would say that under the Evans ownership we have wasted our youth players. The few who made the 'grade' suffered because our managers didn't encourage their development. Bobby Robson was never afraid to blood young exciting talent
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itfctim added 09:39 - Jul 23 Went well for Ben Knight at Man. City, didn't it......
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marco007 added 09:43 - Jul 23 Well if he got zero game time in a substandard league one side that has since been improved, I would forecast that he has not chance at a vastly superior Norwich. I hope they are paying you enough to make the move! Looks like more reserve football for Mr Gibbs!
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trncbluearmy added 09:43 - Jul 23 we move on but it`s hard not to be a bit pizzed about this one reading his joining comments he has avoided being gushy about the scum and just talked about his own ambitions and that smile looks very forced.
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trncbluearmy added 09:45 - Jul 23 marcoo007 no Town ever refers to the scum as that, no matter what league we are in take a look at the Cobbold
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ArnieM added 09:51 - Jul 23 All I can think is Town weren't that bothered about him. He may well be a talent, but maybe the coaches / manager here now are busy looking to who can do the job in the first team, now, and Gibbs can't. He's not willing to wait and earn his right to play in the senior squad. I doubt very much he'll get anywhere near Norwich's either. I suspect he will be sent out on loan or more likely will play for their U23'S…so good luck to him with that. As talented as he might be, I think Town would have pushed the boat out if they felt he was a “ special” talent. We haven't , so maybe that says all we need to know. The Club tried to get him to stay, but he or his agent tried to hold this club to ransom perhaps, regarding a place in the senior squad? But as I've stated before, so many players want it handed on a plate to them these days….. some don't, and are willing to work their butts off for that right to be 8n the senior squad/ team. Yes it leaves a sour tastes in the mouth re Gibbs, but not because he chose narwich, but more re his attitude ( or his agents attitude) toward our Club.

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bluewarrior added 09:53 - Jul 23 Too many positives at the club at the moment to get drawn into negative talk. Onwards and upwards - the future is super bright!
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Essexnblue added 09:55 - Jul 23 When are you all going to get it in your heads that our youth system and coaches are very average. We play in tier 2 youth level and produce tier 2 players, Wickham who we nicked at 16 was the last Premier league player, 10 years ago. Until the club invests into stage 1 academy status then we will continue to produce average footballers and attract average coaches.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 09:55 - Jul 23 Chrisfelix I would say that the talent who came through just hasn't been good enough last quality kid who came through was Wickham and rightly he got in the side because he was better than what we had but the other kids who come through just haven't been anywhere near good enough and most of that is because the kids with really ‘possible talent' have already been bought from us from category one clubs before even getting anywhere near the under 23's etc so not the clubs fault. This is unfortunately the issue with not being cat one club.

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PortmanTerrorist added 09:56 - Jul 23 Karlosfandangal.... spot on. Clearly we have over hyped our young talent in recent times. How many 'new' Keiron Dyer's have we been promised. If Liam is the real deal then in a team as poor as ours has been, he couldn't break through by 18?. So maybe just catch a breath here, maybe it was the money, maybe he saw better talent coming in to block his path, maybe he has a secret yellow bird fetish.... whatever, don't care. We move onward and upward.... buy into that or get gone. We need talent and commitment in equal measure. COYB

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Marinersnose added 09:56 - Jul 23 At much as it hurts that he's gone to Norwich who could blame the lad. He clearly is a very talented young lad and Norwich have a good reputation for developing young players, something we used to also have. Any honest fan in his position would probably do the same if their current club doesn't particularly want him. Good luck I'm sure he'll progress up the road.
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