SOURCES in the North-East have confirmed that Ipswich Town have accepted a bid for Connor Wickham, believed to be in the region of �13m.

SOURCES in the North-East have confirmed that Ipswich Town have accepted a bid for Connor Wickham, believed to be in the region of �13m.

Portman Road officials are keeping “tight-lipped” over the potential Wickham deal, but it seems that negotiations have now gone beyond club-to-club, and are now at the stage of the player and his agent set for prolonged discussions with Sunderland boss Steve Bruce and chairman Niall Quinn.

The Black Cats are looking to steal a march on the Premier League big boys, like Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham, to snap up Wickham while the iron is hot.