Paul Jewell has confirmed that Gareth McAuley and David Norris will be leaving Ipswich this summer.
McAuley and Norris set to turn down new deals
Paul Jewell has confirmed that Gareth McAuley and David Norris will be leaving Ipswich this summer.
The pair have been mainstays in the Town side this season but are set to come out of contract and feel it is time to move on.
Both joined Ipswich in 2008 and although manager Jewell stressed the club has offered them new deals, he has no hard feelings about them looking for pastures new.
"It's unfortunate because we would have liked to have kept them," Jewell told the club's
official website.
"The club made them fair offers but the players are entitled to do what's best for them and their families."
Town finished in the bottom half of the Championship for the second season running this term, during which McAuley passed 100 appearances for the club after signing from Leicester in June 2008.
But Jewell believes the Northern Ireland centre-half, 31, has been offered the chance to play top-flight football for the first time in his career.
"We offered Gareth the deal he wanted," said the Ipswich boss.
Premier League interest
"But in the meantime he had been contacted by other clubs and it looks like he may be joining a Premier League side. It was an offer that was too good for him to turn down and we wish him well."
Norris was a £2million signing from Plymouth in January 2008 and this term the 30-year-old midfielder has registered his best-ever season tally of 11 goals.
"Chuck has other offers on the table as well and they are worth him taking," Jewell added.
"We are sorry to see them go but we are already down the line in looking at players to replace them."
