NEXT week is crunch time for Paul Jewell, in terms of learning what his budget will be for next season.

NEXT week is crunch time for Paul Jewell, in terms of learning what his budget will be for next season.

Chancellor George Osborne yesterday revealed his so-called “Pro-Growth Budget” for the country, and now Jewell is hoping for a similar sound-bite from his owner.

Ipswich Town boss Jewell is planning to meet up with owner and chairman, Marcus Evans, over the next few days to discover what money will be available to him over the coming months.

Jewell, Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg held an initial meeting in Dublin last week, during which Jewell presented a list of player targets for next season. He is now waiting to see how realistic those targets will be.

“I spoke to the owner last week in Ireland, and I am meeting with him again over the next few days to talk over the final figures.

“So I should know more next week,” confirmed Jewell yesterday.

“I gave him a few names, and what they might cost, and now we have to sit down and see if we can afford them.

“We have a list of players, through our scouting network and coaching network, who we would like to bring in. Obviously they have to meet the budget and the criteria.

“I have given the owner a list of players that I think we should be in for, and at the end of the day the football decisions are down to me, and the financial decisions are down to him.

“So we will be getting our heads together and trying to work things out. I’m sure we can move forward,” added Jewell.

The Town boss revealed that he is not just after one player – a proven goalscorer – but a whole host of players. But that doesn’t mean to say he is going to completely dismantle his current squad.

“You have to work to parameters, I understand that, but there’s nothing set in stone. Things can change quickly in football,” said Jewell.

“All of a sudden you are targeting a certain player, you go down the line and something jumps out of the sky and you change targets.

“We have to be specific, but it’s just not one player we are going for. We’ve got a number of players in a number of positions that we are trying to get, some we’ll get and some we won’t.

“I want to improve and add to the squad, but I’m not here to dismantle the whole squad at all.

“As a natural course in football, people will come and go. Some will leave at the end of their contracts, some will leave because they want to leave, and some will leave because something attractive comes along.

“But I don’t think there are too many in our squad who want to leave.

“Everyone knows we need a goalscorer, but it’s no good getting a goalscorer if you are not creating the chances. It’s a whole package,” added Jewell.

n Town striker Connor Wickham is in the England Under-21 squad for tonight’s friendly against Denmark in Viborg.