Town are set to receive a not insignificant windfall with Portsmouth having confirmed that former defender Matt Clarke has joined Premier League Brighton on a four-year deal.

The fee is officially undisclosed but earlier in the week was reported to be £3.9 million with further top-ups believed to eventually take it up to £5 million.

Town are due 20 per cent of the profit Pompey make on Clarke, who is believed to have been valued at £50,000 when he joined them as a makeweight in the £750,000 deal which saw Adam Webster sign for the Blues in the summer of 2016.

That will see Town receive a much-needed boost of £770,000 - in addition to the £450,000 fee received from Portsmouth for Ellis Harrison earlier this afternoon - at a time when the club is facing a £9 million loss of revenue due to relegation to League One.

Barham-born Clarke came through the academy and made one start and four sub appearances for the Blues before signing for Portsmouth, with whom he spent 2015/16 on loan.

Town could also receive further financial boosts via sell-ons this summer with Webster, currently with Bristol City, understood to be interesting Aston Villa, Leicester, Southampton and a number of others and with a valuation of £12 million having been reported.

Webster, 24, joined the Robins from Town for an initial £3.5 million last summer with the fee potentially rising to £8 million.

The Blues are likely to have a sell-on of 10 per cent included in that deal which, depending on how many top-ups have been paid already, could bring in up to £850,000, although Portsmouth would be due 20 per cent of anything the Blues receive as a result of their sell-on from the 2016 move.

Meanwhile former left-back Tyrone Mings is expected to move on from AFC Bournemouth with his former loan club Aston Villa the favourites to sign him with a fee of £15 million - potentially yielding Town up to another £700,000 via a 10-per-cent-of-profit sell-on - having been widely reported.

Ex-striker Kieffer Moore, now with Barnsley, is also believed to be interesting Bristol City with a 10-per-cent-of-profit sell-on also understood to have been part of the deal which saw the 26-year-old move to Oakwell for £750,000 in January 2018.

Photo: Action Images

blues1 added 20:51 - Jun 21 Bluearmy81 and theres the reason you are talking such rubbish. Yes his value is in the hundreds of millions but the vast majority of that is tied up in his businesses. He doesn't have hundreds of millions in the bank. So he hasn't got loads of money to spend on players. When will some of our fans get that. Besides, he tried that with Keane and jewell and where did it get us. Nowhere, that's where. And due to sheepshanks getting us in a financial mess in the 1st place, he had to change his spending policy or, yes, much as you dont like to believe it, the club could easily end up being put into liquidation. Do I think Evan's is perfect. No, I dont I think hes made mistakes along the way. But if ud rather have an owner the likes of Blackpool had, or Bolton, or Coventry even, than someone who's putting the future of the clubs existence 1st, then thats ur right to want that. Personally, I'd rather have a club to support, whatever league we are in, than have no club at all. And whatever you think, due to sheepshanks putting us into administration before, that is not the impossibility you think it is. The only way to go, unfortunately, and like you, I'd love to see us buying players,is to take a much more prudent approach.

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Bluearmy_81 added 21:07 - Jun 21 Yeah a prudent approach has worked really well for the last few seasons... 🙄 Will you still be saying "at least we exist" if we end up playing Felixstowe Town?!! I can hear you now, "he's made some mistakes along the way but I'm still as gullible as ever!!" Why's he still here Bluey?! If he's losing so much and not getting any thing out of it, why not cut the price to one someone will pay and take the hit!? Wouldn't you?

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blues1 added 21:34 - Jun 21 Bluearmy81. He has already stated that if someone makes an offer for the club, who he believes is right for the club, and can afford to take the club forwards who has more to spend than he can, then he would accept the offer. But presumably, ud rather he sell to just anyone, regardless. And, no, I'm not gullible. I'm realistic. I dont like the position we are in either financially, or from the league we are in. But look at Bolton as an example of where we could be, if Evans did what you want him to do. Not only are they in lge1, but due to their owners financial mismanagement, are 12 points adrift vefore the season starts, with no guarantee still, that they wont have a club. Yes, it'll probably get sorted, but do you really want that situation for itfc? Id love a new owner, if that would guarantee us success in the future. But it has to be the right person.

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DifferentGravy added 22:02 - Jun 21 Fans are screaming for Evans to reinvest all of the money we gain from the transfers.........hes not going to do it . Im as frustrated as any other at the current predicament. But unless there is a billionaire just passing by PR who fancies a flutter......we are stuck with him......and I didnt see any protests towards the end of the season as we slid into Div 1 oblivion. Lets just hope its enough kitty to sway him to loosen the purse strings and get a decent centre back in (bosman+wages or otherwise). Good to have a moan mind, rather cathartic

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Bluearmy_81 added 22:44 - Jun 21 You're obsessed with Bolton!! How about villa?!! Spending a bit of money didn't get them anywhere did it?! Oh wait...
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Bluearmy_81 added 22:46 - Jun 21 him......and I didnt see any protests towards the end of the season as we slid into Div 1 oblivion. Yeah cos Town fans, on the whole, and despite how great they think they are, are mainly passively and apathetically sh it
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Northstandveteran added 23:12 - Jun 21 Duncan out! Sack the board! Boo! Ah we knew how to protest back then 😂
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 00:17 - Jun 22 Bluearmy81 - are you really that dense? It doesn't matter how much Evans is worth , he still has to play by the financial rules ! But even if he didn't he is and has ploughed in millions , why should he keep throwing money at it without any regard ? Your answer of just throw cash at the problem is niave in the extreme and could also see the club ' doing a Bolton' as you smugly put it . Before you start on about me being a ' happy clapper' or an ' Evans lover' , I'm not . I have no real affinity for the bloke or any hatred , I'm more a fan of common sense . If people like you ran this club we wouldn't have a team to follow.

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Bluearmy_81 added 01:20 - Jun 22 Bitcoin back above 10k. Don't miss out 😊👍🏻
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Bluearmy_81 added 07:41 - Jun 22 Ploughed in millions... Yeah that's what owners of football teams do, get him a medal!! The fact remains he's been one of the stingiest in the league which is why we went down, end of. As a fan of ITFC your patience and understanding should end there!!!! He offsets tax payable from other areas of his group with the losses he makes at town so he is losing no where near what you imagine though.

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ArnieM added 08:22 - Jun 22 Bluearmy81. Well you seem to have all the answers. So what do YOU propose the next step is to resolve this problem? I await your Earth shattering reply and thank God an answer to all our problems.
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leftie1972 added 08:35 - Jun 22 And that will help to offset the loss taken on Harrison. This is not profit. It won't be used to buy other players because it's still a loss!
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Saxonblue74 added 08:45 - Jun 22 We are NOT a big, wealthy football club and have to cut our cloth accordingly, when are some of you going to get realistic about this? As for people questioning Evans' business accumen, that really is quite laughable! Supporting your football team has highs and lows, if that's not your thing then move on! Barcelona or Man City may be good options for you! Anyone want to join my facebook campaign? #Getbluearmy81offtwtdasitsgettingrealltediousnow! 😂

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rabbit added 09:00 - Jun 22 Well bluearmy_81 you do it time and again, no reasoned argument, giving opinions you state are facts, and according to you, you are Psychologist, and the best is, you insult other posters who have a differing view point. You have failed to answer me on points I have put to you in the past preferring to throw insults instead, something I have never stooped to with you. However as you agree Evans is losing money year on year at ITFC you tell all of us why you think he is still here, because it certainly isn't for the money! By the way have you worked out what Asset Stripping actually is yet?

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 09:01 - Jun 22 Bluearmy 81 - no , we went down cos Hurst recruited poorly and was out of his depth. If u want to have a swipe at Evans over his managerial selections then fair enough cos the results speak for themselves but let's be honest , most of us were happy with the appointments when they were made. I'm also not sure how you know so much about Evans financial dealings . Is that fact or are you just bullsh*ting . I think I can guess

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Bluearmy_81 added 09:17 - Jun 22 Hurst here 4 months, Evans 11 years... Blame Hurst!! 🤣😂🤣 You lot are unreal. Rabbit, I asked you that first- why is he still here, and you didn't answer. My guess is he is losing far less when tax offsetting is taken into account than some of you think he is. Therefore I doubt its hurting him as much as it is us! (Though with some of you I do wonder as you seem to have zero passion left.) Why don't I support man City?! What a stupid question. I'm ITID, I just want the best for us and to see us do well, is that such a crime?!! I think some of you would be quite content seeing us kicking round in lower leagues till you die but I don't think that's really being a fan, no passion, no pride, no drive for success. Evans has failed at achieving our goal for 11 years so excuse me while I call the cause for what it is. No other fans would be as passive and apathetic as you lot in the face of an owner killing the club, it's pitiful.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 09:47 - Jun 22 Bluearmy why do you twist things . You stated we went down due to Evans lack of spending . I replied that we went down due to poor signings and management. At no point did i blame Hurst for anything before last year and I also said Evans is ultimately responsible as he hired him . Just because some of us don't scream and shout doesn't mean we don't care , but this is football and all teams ( well , most ) go through barren years. Look at the teams that have been down to League 1 and even League 2 in recent years ( Leeds, Wolves , Sunderland, that lot down the road , Sheffield Utd) . Evans has made plenty of mistakes there is no doubt , I just don't blame him for every little thing that goes wrong as you and done others do. He is becoming more visible and more hands on at the club which I think is a good thing . Lambert has rebuilt the relationship between fans and the club. The atmosphere has totally changed. I don't know if Lambert will bring success or not but let's give him a chance shall we, I think there are positive indicators so far . We've got 12000 season ticket sales and have made a potentially great signing in Norwood . Try just supporting the club at a time when they need it most . Please don't also try and insinuate that you care more cos your making the most noise .

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rabbit added 09:53 - Jun 22 bluearmy_81 you have previously posted that because of your profession you deal in facts, it is a fact that you have never asked me that question previously, if you wish to be anal about it check previous posts. However, you at last admit that you do not know why ME is at the club but you feel that he should spend more on the side, please tell us, where precisely does he draw the money from and tell us, if he could do this, exactly how that fits in with FFP. Lastly you suggest that this business cannot go bankrupt, so what happens if ME decides not to invest more money and decides to instead let the business stand alone. Let's face it the only reason that other clubs, ours included previously, have fallen into that demise is because the directors of said clubs would not or could not put more money in.

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Saxonblue74 added 09:57 - Jun 22 Dozzells bobblehat, yes, great atmosphere at PR right now. That's due to all the "happy clappers" and fans with a lack of passion for the club! 15,000 Bluearmy 81's every home game, imagine that for an atmosphere!!!!!
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Bluearmy_81 added 10:18 - Jun 22 Actually dozy when I go to games (mainly away in the nw) I sing louder than most around me. I very rarely moan at players and always do support the team. When the cause of our demise is so blatantly obvious though I will not sit here and do or say nothing. I bet he can't believe his luck what a soft touch you lot are though, he's got off so lightly investing and failing in sleepy little Ipswich. It wouldn't suprise me if even with the windfall funds we don't get anyone else decent in. Mark my words, if we don't we will not go back up next season.

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Bluearmy_81 added 10:23 - Jun 22 please tell us, where precisely does he draw the money from and tell us, if he could do this, exactly how that fits in with FFP. If you ask a question please could you use a question mark? It makes you look illiterate. I have no idea I'm not supporting his bank balance like some of you, apparently, according to others, his/the groups exact finances are quite hard to ascertain exactly.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 11:08 - Jun 22 Bluearmy it was a rhetorical question . That means I knew the answer. Plus you've just answered the question when you say you haven't seen his finances , therefore you have no idea or proof that he is off setting losses or whatever other sh*t you spout . As I said, empty vessels make the most noise.
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Bluearmy_81 added 11:17 - Jun 22 Of course he is!!! Omg do you think he's here out of the goodness of his heart?!! What a stand up guy 🤣😂 There's naivety and gullibility and then there's some fans on here...
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Bluearmy_81 added 11:46 - Jun 22 From the questionnaires Not overly surprising that the owner's performance is viewed 'very poor' or 'poor' by 46.9 per cent of TWTDers. Appointing managers is an owner's biggest job and last summer's recruitment of Paul Hurst was disastrous virtually from the off, despite a very lengthy interview process. Town suffered the opposite side of what had been their strategy for the previous few seasons. The thinking had been that promotion could be achieved via the play-offs if the manager got the team significantly overachieving for a season, despite a wage bill which was the 18th highest in the division. Instead, given that comparatively low investment - comparative by current Championship standards not but not in terms of the club's history - a season of underachievement perhaps inevitably led to relegation. Despite the drop into League One, dissent towards the owner has remained muted for the most part, indeed some might be surprised that the 'very poor' and 'poor' votes only total 46.9 per cent. A disappointing League One season would almost certainly change that. Seems like Gav/Phil get it judging by the last paragraph... "some might be surprised..." Not half!!

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Jollyblue added 11:54 - Jun 22 Bluearmy 81. You make a bold statement about Villa. You may want to do a bit of research and find out what could have happened to them if they didnt get promoted this time. You might be surprised to learn that it isnt quite as rosy as you like to have us believe....
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