IPSWICH Town have had a bid accepted for Falkirk centre-back Murray Wallace – but still face a battle from rival clubs.

We understand Ipswich are not the only club to agree a fee for the highly-rated 19-year-old centre-back amid reports Brighton and Huddersfield have also successfully tabled a bid – believed to be around �300,000.

It means Town will have to convince Wallace that his future is best spent in Suffolk with other clubs monitoring the situation closely.

The left-sided Falkirk defender has been watched by a number of Premier League and Championship clubs this season and the Scottish League One side had been bracing themselves for bids this month.

Ipswich had attempted to steal a march on their rivals, which reportedly include Norwich City, by this week making a bid for Wallace, who has been in outstanding form this season.

While an initial offer was turned down, Jewell has gone back in for the talented teen – though securing his signature remains far from certain.

Although the Town boss declined to comment on the identity of the five bids he has made in the last week, we understand Wallace has been on his radar for a while.

Blues scouts have kept a close eye on the centre-back and Jewell did admit that the unnamed fifth bid was “one for the future”.

While Wallace might be a new name for some Town fans, he has earned rave reviews north of the border as Falkirk bid to return to the Scottish Premier League while reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup where they will face Celtic on Sunday.

In his first full season, Wallace has been a virtual ever-present, making 21 starts, two more from the bench, and scoring two goals.