IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell has confirmed that all three of his transfer bids have been rejected

Portsmouth manager Michael Appleton confirmed this morning that he had rejected a double bid from Ipswich – believed to be a combined �1m – for young duo Jason Pearce and Joel Ward, claiming the offer was nowhere near his valuation of the pair.

Meanwhile, the EADT and Evening Star understands that the third player is 17-year-old Crewe starlet Nick Powell.

Crewe boss Steve Davis has denied that Ipswich have been in contact, but Jewell – happy to knock down various erroneous speculation – remained coy when asked about Powell.

“It’s private,” said the Blues boss, when quizzed about the youngster. “If clubs want to come out like Portsmouth have and say they’ve had bids rejected by Ipswich, that’s fair enough, but I don’t really want to comment on anyone else.”

Speaking in general on the three transfer bids – which he personally revealed last weekend – he said: “We’ve made offers and as far as I’m aware they’ve all been rejected.

“I’ve never been the manager of a club which has accepted a first bid though, and I’ve never known a first bid to be accepted by a selling club.”

That appears to suggest that Jewell is keen to make further offers, though he says all negotiations will now be left in the hands of owner Marcus Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg.

“I’ll let other people deal with that side of it,” said Jewell. “If we’re so far apart there’s no good wasting everybody’s time – ours, Portsmouth’s, the players’ – if a deal can’t be done.

“If there’s a deal to be done and we can do it, we’re interested. If not, we move on.”

And, as things stand, Jewell now doesn’t expect Leicester’s Sean St Ledger to join.

Ipswich agree a fee for the transfer listed Republic of Ireland international last week, but the Foxes decided at the last minute that they needed him as cover following injuries and African Cup of Nations call-ups.

Jewell said: “He played on Tuesday for Leicester against Forest in the FA Cup, so it looks like he might be in their plans.

“We thought we had something done last week but it hasn’t happened and for whatever reason that’s probably gone now.”

Meanwhile, Jewell emphatically dismissed links with Swindon pair Matt Ritchie and Paul Caddis, as well as ex-Blackpool midfielder Bojan Djordjic.

– For all the latest Blues news, see tomorrow’s EADT and Evening Star.