Town boss Kieran McKenna has confirmed Blues striker Liam Delap has spent this week looking at his options, having been given permission to speak to Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle, the clubs leading the chase for his signature.

The 22-year-old is all but certain to leave Portman Road this summer with a £30 million relegation release clause in the contract he signed last summer when he joined from Manchester City for an initial £15 million.

McKenna confirmed that the England U21 international has, as previously reported, spent the week talking to Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle, the trio of clubs that, as it stands, Delap is choosing between.

“Liam’s looking at his options for next year, which I think he’s entitled to do and we support him with that,” McKenna said when asked about the situation.

“I think we’ve given him permission to do that this week. It’s a very important decision for his future.

“Of course, there’s a lot of interest and rightly so, so I think part of his week has been having some of those conversations.

“It looks more likely than not that he’ll move on this summer and he has interest from pretty much every club in the league, and I don’t think there are many clubs in the world who wouldn’t want to have him.

“I think it’s more likely than not Liam will move on. Nothing’s sorted, nothing’s done or completed or even very, very, very close, so that process will take its course.

“We’ll be proud of the part that we’ve had in terms of Liam’s development and his contribution this season.

“If he stays with us, we’ll be delighted, and if he moves on this summer, it will be a positive sign for the club, a positive step for the club to have developed and sold a player at that sort of level and hopefully it will be a good move for him as well.”

McKenna says the two have spoken about the striker’s next step: “I think that will remain private but, yes, if you want a short answer. I’ve spoken to Liam and he knows I’ll always try and help him in any way possible, not just myself but he has a fantastic relationship with the other staff here and other people around the club and he knows that we’re here to support and help and guide, as we have been from the first day. He knows we’re here to help him in any way.”

Reflecting on how far Delap can go in the game, the Blues boss added: “He’s got great potential, it’s clear for everyone to see. To do what he’s done this season in a newly promoted team that’s found it really difficult, not just in his goals but in some of his performances where he’s been almost impossible for the opposition to handle.

“I’ve said many times, he’s still young, he still has room to grow to be more consistent, to round off his game, but in terms of attributes, I think he’s as good as is out there anywhere in the world and he’s honed and developed them well this year and we’ll hope he continues to do so.”

McKenna anticipates the Town support giving Delap a positive send-off on Sunday: “I think it will be. I would never tell people what to do, whether they want to boo or clap, but I don’t see any of that, to be honest.

“He’s a young player, he came here in the summer and with these type of deals there are always clauses and protections from the players point of view, you’re not signing a player from Manchester City without that.

“He’s given everything to the cause, he’s entitled to make a decision on what he thinks is best for the future and I think the supporters will look back in time ahead with great fondness to some of his performances and some of the victories he was involved in and I really believe everyone will be following his career, if it isn’t at Ipswich, with the best of wishes.”

Photo: Reuters and Matchday Images

blues1 added 17:44 - May 23 Tr actorboy58. Tge club have given him permission to talk to those clubs, so what are you on about? As forxthose saying he's.been given a week off? No, he hasnt. He's still trained every day, as normal. Will have had those talks after training. Typical of some fans to stir it up, clearly wanting to turn fans against him. ArnieM. .yes, he'll clearly get .ore money but it wont just be about money. Will be about playing in the pl still, and depending on where he goes, European football, against playing in the championship for us. How can anyone blame him for that. And how is £30m piss poor? It's double what we paid for him a year ago. Also, let's be realistic. Had we not agreed to that, we wouldnt have got him here this season. As u say, thexgrasss isn't always greener but he has to do what's right for his career. As I'm sure you would in his position.

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tetchris added 18:14 - May 23 The best signing the club made during the summer. Just a shame the rest of other players signed didn’t reach the heights we expected of them. Some under performed, some just weren’t good enough for PL football yet. I think McKenna will rue not bringing in more experienced players. £30 million seems like a bargain to me if he reaches his potential. Just hope we include a good sell on cause in any deal

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timetraveler added 18:28 - May 23 If there is a release clause of £30m I can’t see clubs agreeing to sell on clauses as all they have to do is meet the trade figure. I doubt we have much bargaining power unless that’s written into the contract.
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blueoutlook added 19:02 - May 23 Disrespectful to the fans. This could have waited another week. We know he is off,but one more week before starting talks would have been a lot more respectful. In my opinion he hasn’t been all that since Xmas anyway. Yes he could make it to the top, has all the right ability. But is far far far from the finished article. Depending where he goes,he may not get the chance to carry on learning. They will expect immediate results. From a Town point of view, get a good sell on and add ons Ashton. Because we are practically giving him away with the contract situation .

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Tedray added 19:06 - May 23 It is very quiet out there -where is the good Mr Ashton who told us that the deals were safe and protected in favour of the club- also we need the money to pay for the expected loss on Muric,Jack Clarke and Philigene.....
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Linkboy13 added 19:08 - May 23 Yes need to get this sorted asap pretty obvious to those of us with a bit up top. To get better you need to be playing with and against quality players.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 19:09 - May 23 Tedray - double money in one year . I don't think anyone can call that a bad deal , and what losses are you on about ?
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Essexnblue added 19:18 - May 23 Just to put something right, Liam has been at the training ground training all week, training and preparing for Sunday. What he does in the afternoon when he has finished training, like all privileged footballers is his business, all the club have let him do is speak to clubs in his own time when he is under contract to ITFC.
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Lightningboy added 19:21 - May 23 Just goes to show that "contracts" these days aren't worth the paper they're signed on. Years ago this sort of thing would've bothered me...now I could not care less. Onwards & upwards. Next......
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Karlosfandangal added 19:43 - May 23 KMK looked at his options and ended up as one of the highest paid managers in the Prem. Town can’t offer the money Man U etc can offer. He will earn in a year more than his whole contract at Town. A move will secure his future (not that his on peanuts at Town) Why would he play Championship football as he did that the year before he joined us
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ArmaghBlue added 19:59 - May 23 He hasn’t been great for a few months, so no big loss this week.
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OliveR16 added 22:10 - May 23 Lightningboy wrote - Just goes to show that "contracts" these days aren't worth the paper they're signed on. I think the point is that this is exactly in keeping with his contract so it proves the opposite.
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Tractorog added 23:22 - May 23 A footballers career is fleeting and at any moment it can end in injury. You have to grab your chances whilst you're in form. Anyone thinking he should stay is delusional. We got relegated, but it wasn't because this lad didn't try or lacked talent. Did he have bad matches, yes but players sometimes do. Did he have good ones ... yes he had excellent ones and that's the difference. The magic. He's young and raw, but if big clubs think he has got what it takes to stay in the prem then he should stay. We can have no complaints snd I wish him well.

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armchaircritic59 added 00:16 - May 24 Interesting one. No European football of any kind for Man U next season. Definitely something for both Chelsea and Newcastle. Might be a deciding factor, though maybe a little short sighted. If he did end up at Man U maybe they could lend us Rasmus Hojlund! Hardly set the world alight at Man U this season, struggled in a struggling side. Same age as Delap, born only 4 days apart, and did well enough last season. Might well thrive outside the " goldfish bowl " of that club.

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