Second blow for Ipswich

Wednesday, 25/01/2012

by Sam Broadley, Shoot's Ipswich Town blogger

Ipswich Town have had a second approach for Portsmouth pair Joel Ward and Jason Pearce rebuffed.

The latest offer, believed to be around £1.6m, was not enough to budge the stubborn South Coast club, but their latest financial woes look set to force the sale of their stars.

Pompey are facing a tax bill of £1.6m and although a fall into administration is unlikely to happen, imminent departures look likely.

But Town will have to beat off competition in the form of Leicester City for the signatures of Ward and Pearce.

Town Manager Paul Jewell is very keen to sign the youngsters, not least because of the fall-through of the signing of Leicester defender Sean St Ledger at the eleventh hour earlier this month.

Jewell had thought the purchase was safely in the bag, only for Leicester boss Nigel Pearson to recall St Ledger for their FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest and he has remained in the side since.

Jewell has reiterated that the priority is to buy quality defenders, the Portsmouth duo or otherwise, to boost a side which is leaking goals at an alarming rate – not least the suicidal showing in the last 15 minutes at Leeds on Saturday conceding three having been one-up and relatively comfortable.

Keeper Alex McCarthy – a recent loan signing from Reading - was sent off at Elland Road for handling outside the box. This has left the Blues in a pickle with Aaron Lee-Barrett the only senior keeper currently available at the club.

Third choice stopper Richard Wright has been in America on trial with Dallas FC but is now expected to fly back in time to sit on the bench next Tuesday against West Ham.

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