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West Ham and Arsenal Eyeing Chirewa
Monday, 23rd May 2022 15:03

West Ham United and Arsenal are eyeing promising Town youngster Tawanda Chirewa, TWTD understands.

Chirewa, 18, was one of the top performers for the U23s during 2021/22, scoring 12 times as the side coached by Kieron Dyer and then John McGreal topped Professional Development League Two South.

The Shenfield-raised forward was due to be out of contract this summer but the Blues recently took an option to keep him for a further season and are keen to keep him at Portman Road longer term.

However, we understand his performances for the U23s have attracted the attention of the Gunners and Hammers among others keen to recruit him into their development squads.

Chirewa, who qualifies to play international football for Zimbabwe, became Town’s second-youngest first-team player when he made his debut in the EFL Trophy tie at Colchester in November 2019 aged 16 years and 31 days old.


Photo: Matchday Images



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gixxeral added 15:06 - May 23
F off, greedy bastds stealing our youngsters for a punt. Leave us alone.
15

DariusBlue added 15:14 - May 23
We need to keep this lad and get him closer to the first team. I've seen him play a few times for the U23's and he has some talent. Fantastic on the ball and very attack minded.
8

Europablue added 15:18 - May 23
This needs to stop. Players who are not going to play in the first team should not be allowed to be poached.
9

Linkboy13 added 15:19 - May 23
It's only natural he'll see them big pound signs and he'll be off wouldn't you.
3

Stato added 15:27 - May 23
Why oh why wasn't he given a chance against Crewe ?
3

CraigEdwards added 15:30 - May 23
Fortunately the days of having to sell the youngsters are long gone.
Another bright talented lad heading for the 1st team.
7

Suffolkboy added 15:37 - May 23
Can't see M A and K M willingly letting any real talent leave at this stage ,for there's a developed and developing medium/ longer term plan for everything ITFC – and unless KM has him in his ‘selling' plans / or funds need to be raised then this is almost certainly a non- starter.
COYB
5

HARRY10 added 15:58 - May 23
We will have little say in it - money talks. And the wages offered by PL clubs will always be far better.

Remember Liam Gibbs. Nicked from us by the scum for half a million (?), and already on their Ist team bench.
4

Cakeman added 16:00 - May 23
If he's that good he should be in our first team squad next season.
Do not see the point of moving to teams where he has little chance of breaking into the first team anytime soon either.
5

ArnieM added 16:07 - May 23
Well they can F *** right off !
3

PortmanTerrorist added 16:21 - May 23
All about the "Pathway" we keep hearing about. If it is real, then he should stay, if it is smoke and mirrors then good luck to the lad. It is all on us as a Club to get this right, esp as it has now been as a problem area by the new management. I feel we will get this more right than wrong going forward, and when players leave (until we elevate our status in the Leagues), as they surely will, we will get the best value possible.
1

TimmyH added 16:25 - May 23
Personally feel there's a lot wrong with the
0

TimmyH added 16:26 - May 23
Premiership right now...it is 99% about money, greed and poaching. The bigger getting bigger and the smaller getting smaller.
10

Bert added 17:03 - May 23
Let's hope he has parents who say “nice to get the attention lad, but learn your trade at Ipswich where you will soon get a sniff of first team action “.
11

Ipswichbusiness added 17:11 - May 23
Wise up everyone; as long as we are in League One, Premiership clubs will try to poach our best young talent. They can offer more money and the best coaching.

What they cannot (realistically) offer is a first team place. Liam Gibbs is a good example. He was on the fringes of our first team squad and then bought by Norwich. Despite Norwich having an absolutely disastrous season in the Premiership, he has been parked in their under-23s and not made a single appearance fir their first team. I expect him to be loaned out next season, where he goes from there is anyone's guess
7

Upthetown1970 added 17:33 - May 23
We have taken up the option on him so clubs will have to pay a bit more. Liam Gibbs has imo progressed well having been signed into Norwich development squad but already pushing into their first team squad. We seem to lack the ability to hold onto our best youngsters. I think if Chirewa has seen Gibbs progression I'm guessing that would give him more encouragement to leave. I hope he stays as I did with all our youngsters before him but if these clubs really want him then he will be off.
0

pensionerblue added 17:50 - May 23
Unless his age is a barrier I am not sure why If we are ‘keen to keep him at Portman Road longer term' we are not offering him an improved and extended contract now. The other points have already been made ie if he continues to improve and once he is out of contract the vultures will pounce.
1

Chondzoresk added 18:21 - May 23
Ok premier league clubs….20 million and he's yours.
0

ArnieM added 19:02 - May 23
UptheTown 1970: I'd suggest looking at narwich first team, even I'd get into it. There's not much competition for Gibbs really is there! He might well now end up regretting leaving ITFC with our new regime in place. The grass isnt always green on the other side, and especially into the dark lands of norfolk …..
2

Upthetown1970 added 19:38 - May 23
Arnie. Think you missed my point. Gibbs has progressed on the bench in the Premier league compared to being on the bench in L1. Think any young player would choose the Premier league team.
0

BeattiesBackPocket added 20:14 - May 23
I see some people on here are getting over excited again and claiming he should be playing straight away when he still has a lot to do and if you think he's going to go straight into the arsenal team then wobble your head. He'll probably go there and not get anywhere near the first team for a few years. He has ‘potential' there's no doubt and I have seen him play a couple of times so could be an absolute star but he's not hitting the heights of a Connor wickham or bent were hitting at the same age or even a Jordan Rhodes so again let's not get too excited and expect him to play in the first team because newspapers say two clubs are interested. People are too quick to moan about kids not coming through when they actually do and have been even under McKenna if they're good enough they'll be in if they're not like most players who people wanted playing but have gone off to smaller clubs then he won't
3

RIPbobby added 21:17 - May 23
My cynical side says that his agent is trying to generate a better contract by suggesting that other clubs are interested. We see it now and again.
3

brassy added 21:28 - May 23
i trust the manager to get thee ins and outs righr coybs.
1

HARRY10 added 22:46 - May 23
The blunt reality is that the scum either have a better youth set up, or are just lucky. Six players sold for £10m plus, with two at £25m and one £35m. Meaning they have taken them to where they can move up another level, at a decent fee. We have not produced a first team keeper for 17 years, and how many are breaking through into the first team, at L1 level. I really hope this lad stays, and sees us as the place to develop - however whether he does is out of our hands. PL clubs not only have the money but training set ups way beyond us. Take a look at what Crystal Palace have been doing.
3

tractorboybig added 07:45 - May 24
IF..............this is true then he would be stupid not to take it. after all our set up is teeming with young lads who have progressed.
0


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