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Town Face Losing Gibbs as Premier League Clubs Hover
Monday, 14th Jun 2021 12:25

Town could lose talented young midfielder Liam Gibbs for a relative pittance with his contract up at the end of the month and Premier League clubs including Leeds United, Brighton and Norwich, and Scottish Premiership champions Rangers all showing interest.

TWTD revealed in January that the 18-year-old hadn't signed the new contract which had been offered by Town and that Premier League clubs were keeping a close eye on his situation.

And there is still no agreement regarding those terms with his existing contract up in just over two weeks. Unlike many Blues players, the Bury St Edmunds-born youngster’s current deal doesn’t include an option for a further year.

We understand that Leeds and Brighton are most keen on Gibbs, who made his first-team debut in 2019/20’s EFL Trophy tie at Colchester and played two more games in that competition last season before being handed his League One bow in November's 2-0 home defeat to Charlton.

Rangers are also monitoring his progress and Norwich were among the clubs to send scouts to watch him as he impressed during the U18s’ FA Youth Cup run, while Southampton showed interest earlier in the season.

If there is no agreement on a new deal before the end of the month, Gibbs, who we understand is keen to stay at Portman Road to continue his development, can depart with the Blues receiving only training compensation for his years in the academy.

Town would try to agree a figure with the club he joins but if they’re unable to do so then the matter would go to a tribunal where they may receive only be awarded a couple of hundred thousand pounds.

The midfielder, who will join his brothers in taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge for charity next weekend, signed his first professional terms with the Blues on his 17th birthday in December 2019


Photo: Matchday Images



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DinDjarin added 12:33 - Jun 14
Need to keep this lad.
10

pointofblue added 12:34 - Jun 14
If he's keen to stay then put a decent offer on the table.

The new regulations surrounding academy players is farcical.
19

tractorboybig added 12:35 - Jun 14
using us to further his career, sell to the highest bidder now
-10

DurhamTownFan added 12:42 - Jun 14
If I were him, I'd leave. Cool seems to be targeting experienced first-team players that are going to be hard to dislodge in the near future, so why not move to a bigger club with a higher wage and probably some loan football at the level he can't break into by staying here?
4

Monkey_Blue added 12:42 - Jun 14
Ben Knight was described by Bryan Klug as the best youngster he'd ever worked with…. He's not going to get in the Man City side anytime soon. Gibbs would however only be better off here if he's playing first team football for us. Any club can sign him, pay him far more and loan him out.
4

Monkey_Blue added 12:46 - Jun 14
Cooks record shows he's a short term merchant concerned with his own career rather than the clubs long term future. He got promoted with three clubs but left all 3 after less than three seasons for his own benefit.
-7

itfcserbia added 12:50 - Jun 14
There's your contract handling from the previous regime.
7

MrTown added 12:52 - Jun 14
Isn't the first and won't be the last when big clubs hover.

Happened with Charlie Brown, played u23's football at Chelsea for many years and ends up at MK Dons, Ben Knight will follow.

Very hard being a League 1 club to keep hold of talent when PL clubs come lingering, part and parcel of being a League 1 club.
4

dirtyboy added 12:52 - Jun 14
Still find it hard to swallow that clubs take on players, give them a shot at being a pro and then can leave for pretty much nothing. I appreciate them perhaps wanting to leave, but that fact that a market value is rarely there is hard on the coaches etc who invest their time and effort and then there's little reward. The coaches in academy still need paying and if an academy doesn't a) make money or b) produce first team players, these coaches and set up won't get paid or won't have a job.

Sad that a club doesn't get 'thanked' appropriately. That being said, I know there have been some reported issues, so perhaps Gibbs feels he's not had the help and opportunity he wanted....or indeed the right contract that he's worth? Who knows, all speculative, just the whole academy thing hurts (especially when I was donating to it for a few years lol!)
3

Monkey_Blue added 12:53 - Jun 14
I know the above comment will get voted down…. But he had a big budget and did well at Chesterfield but dumped them for Pompey knowing her have the biggest budget and better chance of success. He got them up then dumped them presumably for “his club” who just happened to have a better squad and more money…. Then when the s41t hit the fan, he legged it knowing league one was going to be tough with no money. He pops up at Ipswich who are about to be awash with cash( don't tell me there wasn't contact before he signed for us). He's not interested in the long term for anyone but Paul Cook
-5

Monkey_Blue added 12:53 - Jun 14
I know the above comment will get voted down…. But he had a big budget and did well at Chesterfield but dumped them for Pompey knowing her have the biggest budget and better chance of success. He got them up then dumped them presumably for “his club” who just happened to have a better squad and more money…. Then when the s41t hit the fan, he legged it knowing league one was going to be tough with no money. He pops up at Ipswich who are about to be awash with cash( don't tell me there wasn't contact before he signed for us). He's not interested in the long term for anyone but Paul Cook
-13

Europablue added 12:53 - Jun 14
It's disgusting that we have such a system where smaller clubs put in the time and energy and show faith in a player and help him develop, then the big clubs swoop in and get him for a pittance only for him to rot in the reserve side on much better wages. These premier league sides, by the way, not living within their means and therefore distort the whole league structure. It's a great way of keeping the sporting advantage and therefore the financial advantage.
10

blues1 added 12:53 - Jun 14
Monkey Blue. What u say there is spot on. Trouble is, if we pay him far more, that would limit us on the players we want to bring in. My guess is they are still talking and he may well be offered more but cant see it being a massive amount. If hes as keen to stay as its suggested he'll take it. While yes, going elsewhere would get him a lot more money, it would very likely, like many of those whove left before, be the end of their career football wise. But guess to many youngsters nowadays, earning a big buck is more important than playing regularly. And maybe it's not totally their fault, but their agents influencing them. Just think if they looked at what happened to the likes of Richard Wright, for instance, who spent most of his time after leaving, sitting on the bench, they may just wait a couple of years before moving on. At which time they nay just be at a stage of their career where its clear what level they belong at.
1

Rimsy added 12:56 - Jun 14
Monkey blue, perhaps those 3 clubs didn't show the desire to push on further. Nothing wrong with a manager trying to progress his career.
3

blues1 added 13:00 - Jun 14
Monkey Blue. Re cook being a short term merchant? Sorry, that's rubbish. He certainly woouldnt have had a big budget at Chesterfield anyway, but at the end of the day, portsmouth is a bigger club than Chesterfield, so why wouldnt he leave for that job. He left Portsmouth due to financial issues at the club so nothing to do with him wanting to go elsewhere. Same with wigan. Hed still have been there had it not been for administration. So it's somewhat incorrect he only stays at clubs short term for his own benefit. Tho couldnt that be said for most managers? Very few stay long at a club nowadays. Either they get offered a better job or they get sacked.
2

Monkey_Blue added 13:06 - Jun 14
Blues1 I wasn't suggesting we pay him far more. I suspect playing opportunites are more important for his development. If the choice is stick in our under23's or be loaned out or the same option but with a much higher salary what would you choose? If he's being told he will get loaned out he may as well do it with more cash in his pocket.
1

Monkey_Blue added 13:08 - Jun 14
Blues1. In fact simply training with premiership players even if he wasn't loaned out would be better than staying with us if he's not getting first team opportunities.
-1

TimmyH added 13:15 - Jun 14
If he was this good and at 18 and Premiership sides taking interest why wasn't he at least making some sort of appearance last season even when there was nothing to play for?...MOST STRANGE!
4

Monkey_Blue added 13:15 - Jun 14
Blues1. In fact simply training with premiership players even if he wasn't loaned out would be better than staying with us if he's not getting first team opportunities. As for the cash issue, haven't you just agreed with me? Chesterfield had a big budget in league two. New stadium and throwing money at it. He left to go to Pompey in a league below, simply because he knew it was an easy chance of promotion and better finances in the higher league. In your own words he left them for money reasons. He then goes to Wigan who were supposedly a club close to his heart and left because of lack of budget. He would leave us in a second if a better prospect came up but we are all supposed to slag players off who show no loyalty. Attitude reflects leadership.
-2

KernewekBlue added 13:18 - Jun 14
Monkey_Blue and BettyBlue seem at their happiest when they feel they have something to moan about... they must have LOVED the Marcus Evans era!

Even when a ray of hope comes along with the change of ownership and a renewed ambition, shining through the black clouds that had gathered and sat over Portman Road all the time that Evans was in charge, they can still find a way to put a damper on the party.

Come on lads, is there no joy in your lives whatsoever?

Geeeeez Louise!
7

CraigEdwards added 13:22 - Jun 14
Agent holding out for the best deal I'm guessing
1

Bluearmy71 added 13:28 - Jun 14
If he is keen to stay then make it happen!!
3

blues1 added 13:29 - Jun 14
Monkey Blue. My point was simply Cook didnt leave those clubs bcse of the budget available to him. It wasnt a lack of budget at wigan. They went into administration and so he left to help them out financially. And as I said, he would likely have still been there if not for that. And again my point was he left Pompey bcse the club had money issues, so he had to leave. Know the fans there were angry with the club for him leaving. Not with Cook. Putting any of that to one side tho, as I said, very few managers stay at clubs long term nowadays. It's the way football is. And why wouldnt they take better jobs? The clubs wouldnt think twice about sacking them should things go wrong. So why, if they're approached for a bigger job, would they not take that opportunity. Sure if u had a company offer you a job earning far more money than you are now, and with more prospects, ud not turn it down.
0

Timefliesbyintheblue added 13:30 - Jun 14
He hasn't left yet.......
1

Bazza8564 added 13:42 - Jun 14
My understanding (and I may be wrong) is that the salary cap applies only to wages not signing bonuses or agent fees?. If the lad wants to move on, give him a contract with a release clause that gives him a fee level that represents his worth, and a signing bonus paid up front out of the kitty to top up his wages. Then all parties maintain a position which is liveable....
4


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