Alex likely to be on his way out of Town

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town defender Alex Bruce looks as though he could be on his way out of Portman Road.

Sources in Italy have confirmed that the 24-year-old defender is interesting clubs in Serie A, and that talks are likely once Bruce is free to discuss his future in January.

Bruce, who was Town manager Jim Magilton's first signing in August 2006, comes to the end of his Blues contract next June.

It is believed that he has been told that he will not be offered a new deal.

There was talk that an offer was ready to go on the table, and Magilton has confirmed that Bruce still figures in his plans.

But sources in Italy suggest that Bruce has been told that he will not be offered a new deal and that there will be no U-turn.

Bruce, who has been pencilled in to win his second Republic of Ireland cap in next week's friendly against Poland, has been recommended to clubs in the Italian League by the Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni.

The coach has a high regard for Bruce, who has been an unused member of his recent senior squads.

Bruce has sat on the Ipswich bench for the last seven games having made a total of 89 appearances reports last summer of a website connected with Bruce suggesting he was unhappy with the situation he found himself in.

This has been denied by Bruce with Ipswich confirming that talks with the 13 players whose contracts run out in the summer are on-going with no rush over completing them.

Ipswich confirmed today that their position remained unchanged from last week when chief executive Derek Bowden said: “Jim Magilton, first team coach Bryan Klug and myself have held initial discussions regarding extending, or not extending, player deals.

“With the January transfer window coming up we will probably wait and see what transpires before having final discussions.”

It is understood that Bruce would prefer to stay with the Blues where he has built up a good relationship with fans and where he formed a regular central defensive partnership with Jason De Vos before the Canadian hung up his boots last May.

He is one injury away from a return to a back line that has done increasingly well over the last few weeks, and if he gets a chance he has made it known that he would like nothing more than to play his way to a new Ipswich contract.

The son of Wigan boss Steve, Bruce has attracted the attention of a number of English clubs alerted by his possible departure from Portman Road, which now appears likely although the situation is still on-going.

Town's players, who held a minute's silence on the training ground at 11am on Tuesday, were training today in readiness for Saturday's Coca-Cola Championship game at Doncaster where Bruce is again expected to be on the bench.