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Jewell hopes to keep Wickham

Image: Wickham: Premier League target

Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell is determined to keep teenage striker Connor Wickham at the club.

Ipswich boss targets goal poacher for next season

Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell is determined to keep Connor Wickham as the teenage striker continues to be linked with Premier League clubs. Wickham is one of the brightest prospects outside the top flight and Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have all recently been linked with bids for the 17-year-old. However, after Wickham scored a hat-trick against Doncaster Rovers last week, Jewell outlined his hope that the England Under 21 international will stay at Portman Road. "Every player has a price, you ask Manchester United - Ronaldo went. Every player has his price, but I don't want to sell Connor Wickham," said Jewell. "To answer the question, I haven't had the opportunity to sell him because since I've been here, no one's enquired about him, certainly not that I know of anyway."

Striker target

Meanwhile, Jewell is hoping to complement the talents of Wickham next season by adding a proven goalscorer to the Ipswich squad. He told the club's official website: "If you look at QPR, Forest, Cardiff, they have all got goalscorers in their team, that player that can get you 25 goals a season. "I don't think this club has had a player like that for a while and they are not easy to find. They don't grow on trees. "If you have got a guaranteed goalscorer in your team it certainly gives you half a chance, certainly in the Championship, and they can often prove to be the difference. "It's very difficult to pick up a player like that during the season but that's certainly an area in which we would like to strengthen - along with a few others - for next year."

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