Keeper Vaclav Hladky has failed to agree a new contract with the Blues and is now officially a free agent.

The 33-year-old had been in discussions with the club regarding new terms since January and has said on a number of occasions that he wants to stay at Portman Road.

However, he and his representatives have been unable to agree a new contract with his current deal up yesterday.

Town’s offer has remained on the table and in an interview with Czech TV channel Canal Plus Sport on Tuesday he said his future would be decided this week.

Now Canal Plus Sport is reporting that no agreement has been reached and Hladky is a free agent.

The Brno-born keeper joined Town from Salford in the summer of 2021 and went on to make 70 starts and one sub appearance for the club.

Having been second choice behind Christian Walton for most of his time at Town, an injury to the former Brighton man late in pre-season last year saw him start 2023/24 as the regular number one.

And with his confidence on the ball becoming a key element of the way the Blues played, Hladky played all bar the dying seconds of Town’s Championship promotion campaign, earning plenty of plaudits along the way.

Portman Road’s keeping ranks could be set for a major overhaul this summer with the Blues known to be looking for a new number one.

Walton could potentially move on for first-team football, while Cieran Slicker has said the next stage of his development is a move on loan with Scottish clubs Kilmarnock, Ross County and Partick Thistle all believed to be keen.

The Blues have been widely linked with Brighton’s Carl Rushworth, while Luton’s Thomas Kaminski was reported to be a target yesterday.

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OleTheKitMan added 09:23 - Jul 1 Very disappointing Vaz. Wouldn't be shocked to see him at Celtic or another championship side next season
1

superblues9 added 09:25 - Jul 1 Bye championship football at best for u next season ! We can find a more than suitable replacement
-10

Flight_of_Shefki added 09:26 - Jul 1 Hmm, sadly not surprised due to the length that these discussions had been going on for. Greedy agents? Inflated egos? I'm really sad to see this, but if he had a burning desire to stay - I'm sure that would've been the outcome. Thanks Vaz for everything, and all of the genuine best.
9

Karlosfandangal added 09:28 - Jul 1 Mad…. It’s took 6 months and still no agreement, yet Hutchinson must have been far more complicated and done so quick. When he finds a new club I would also suggest to find a new agent too
5

Essexnblue added 09:28 - Jul 1 How many players turn down the chance to play Premier League football at 33, which would be the highest standard they had played at. This is all about money and the comments that Vaz has made since the end of last season have always told me that money is the key, not ambition. All about the power of the Bosman and not the ambition of the player. Thanks for the many fine saves and clean sheets, best of luck wherever you go, but I hope you will realise what you have turned down.

5

Suffolkboy added 09:31 - Jul 1 Not very surprising ; despite a good season really doesn’t look Premiership class ,and a little frail in certain aspects of his approach . Nevertheless we owe him much appreciation for all he achieved here,and proved several of us wrong in overcoming weaknesses . Best of luck wherever you next ‘lodge’ ! COYB
3

jas0999 added 09:34 - Jul 1 Strange one. At 33 you’d have thought he’d have been happy to sign for a premier league club. No doubt the club made a decent offer and weren’t prepared to go higher. It’s up to him.
4

BlueySwede added 09:34 - Jul 1 Some immature comments here, when we dont know the full story. Maybe he wanted more assurances on game time, and we couldn't guarantee it? Best of luck Hladly, made some brilliant and important saves during these two last seasons. However I am confident that McKenna and the team will find a great replacement.
16

OliveR16 added 09:36 - Jul 1 Yes, if he really wanted to stay this would have been sealed in no time. A good keeper but certainly not uniquely good. I also doubt that his high risk goal box passing and standing near the halfway line at other times was gonna cut it against PL players.
1

PositivelyPortman added 09:38 - Jul 1 Silly boy, I believe he’ll come to regret this decision.
0

Marcus added 09:42 - Jul 1 Playing as a "goalsweeper' was key to our success. He also made so many top drawer saves, the main negative is that he also created many of the opportunities for those saves with some poor decisions with short balls. He would be cover this season and it seems he wants regular games at the tail end of his career. My mind thinks 'fair enough', ultimately we've seen enough players rot out careers as bench warmers. Also there's probably some disagreement about salary at PL level for a player who will be on standby. McKenna is well known to prefer working with younger players, but having an experienced stopper is important. Fingers crossed we can find suitable replacements.

2

itfckenty added 09:42 - Jul 1 if he wanted regular football and wasn't going to get it, I can see why nothing was signed. I know id prefer to play in a league below and get 1st choice. if anything this just shows it's not all about money (I could be completely wrong though)
2

PortmanTerrorist added 09:45 - Jul 1 We need to go easy on Vaz. He maybe never have realistically imagined he would get to Champioship level as 1st choice, let alone the Premier League and is allowed to get the max of the first and maybe ONLY large contract of his career. I do not think he would be gambling with his family's future (as that is what is at stake) so he must be convinced he will not be 1st choice this season (as that would boost his value further) and that there is better money, longer cotract on the table elsewhere. He may yet stay, but if not, we should thank him for his time with us and his role in getting us promoted....and then go out and upgrade, as we surely will!

1

Europablue added 09:47 - Jul 1 The difference with Omari is that we gave him backing. He doesn't need assurances for his game time because he has earnt it last season and will continue to earn it. Omari is also young and is the future of our team. Hladky was rightly rewarded with a new deal. He has no right to be undisputed No. 1. We need at least one new goalkeeper anyway. If he leaves to play week in week out, then that doesn't reflect badly on him. It also doesn't reflect badly on the club to trust Hladky to do the business and also not get injured. It's a shame because I'd like to see him stay and even start the season in the team.

0

Len_Brennan added 09:50 - Jul 1 His footballing career will be over soon, so he wants to play while he can. A new deal with us meant that he would spend the next season, at least, sitting on the bench, apart from playing the League Cup games in front of reserves & kids. He has a chance to get a good contract somewhere, while his stock is high, where he will be starting of as their #1. Good luck to him.

4

Tractorcookie added 09:51 - Jul 1 I’m really sad about this - despite a couple of dodgy moments, he was such a key part of of the way we played last season. I really hope they’ve got a top keeper up their sleeve
3

LegendofthePhoenix added 09:52 - Jul 1 I can't help feeling that Vac is a victim of the situation we find ourselves in with Christian. CW was one of the highest paid players at the club in L1, got a rise in the Champ and then another when we went up to the Prem - its reported he is on £36k per week. Yest Christian has clearly been no 2 to Vac all season. It's not too far fetched to imagine that Vac has said he needs to be on more than Christian. but VH's contract is up, and CW's isn't. So if one of them has to go in order to get a new no.1, then it's much easier to play hardball with Vac, and let his contract expire. It's hard to see where CW can go, as no one is going to want to match his wages for a player who didn't play last season. I suspect we either keep him as no.2, or cover most of his wages and loan him to a Champ team. Personally, I'm very sad to see Vac go - huge admiration for him and how brilliant he was last season, I've never seen another keeper with such a cool head under pressure. Many thanks Vac, and best of luck for the future.

3

timkatieadamitfc added 09:56 - Jul 1 I’m not too bothered on this one. Yes he goes with all my thanks for last season and genuine best wishes for the future. But for me there are certain players we are letting go who would clearly not cut it in premier league. The likes of Jackson/Hladky/Ladapo fall into said category- we were always going to sign a new number 1 anyway. If we can add a top keeper Along with hopefully Johnson and Rodon(as reported) then things are really starting to look good at this early stage of window.

0

JewellintheTown added 09:57 - Jul 1 From Salford to the Prem in a few years with only a single solid Championship season behind him, but turning down a chance to play in the Prem at 33? Crazy, arrogant, greedy, wants 1st choice guarantee status or a combo or something else? He might regret not taking the offer, but best of luck to him & thanks for the memories. I'm sure KM can get a decent replacement and Walton was only pushed out because of injury. Still a solid keeper - either 1st or 2nd choice.

-1

planetblue_2011 added 09:59 - Jul 1 Oh no can’t believe it he was brilliant for us last season, really thought we would have given him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Maybe Walton to stay to push for number one spot with a new goalie?!! Well played Vaz you was fantastic last season. gutted you have signed!!
2

planetblue_2011 added 10:02 - Jul 1 Haven’t signed
2

ITFCson added 10:03 - Jul 1 A lot of comments calling him greedy/silly etc. I think this decision is based on him being told he’ll be back up keeper. At 33 he wants to be playing which you have to applaud. The negotiations took a while as no doubt he would have accepted being back up keeper if the money was right. Very sad to see him go, he helped win us a lot of points last season. He goes with my best wishes.

2

oldelsworthyfan added 10:07 - Jul 1 Unfortunately for Hladky McKenna knows he needs an even better goalkeeper for what lies ahead in the Premiership.
0

RIPbobby added 10:07 - Jul 1 I personally will miss how good his feet were. A true game changer on the goalkeeping front. Such a shame.
2

Bluemist added 10:13 - Jul 1 Vas for me punched above his weight, while at times he was superb there were also times where he was poor. Couldnt catch a cold let alone the ball, failed to read shots at time resulting in goals and never really commanded his box. But as I say there times where he made sublime saves at key moments. His inconsistency was his consistency. Good luck to him and his future and thank you for at least being part of our promotion.

3

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