Jewell confirms Friend bid

Ipswich boss Paul Jewell has confirmed he bid for George Friend as the Doncaster defender prepares to finalise a move to Middlesbrough.

Doncaster defender ready to finalise move to Middlesbrough

Ipswich Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed he made a bid for George Friend as the Doncaster Rovers defender prepares to finalise a move to Middlesbrough. Doncaster accepted an offer from Boro for Friend earlier this month, but at the time Dean Saunders expected to receive further interest in the left-back. Nottingham Forest and Ipswich were both linked with bids, and Jewell admitted it turned into a three-way fight for his signature. "Dean Saunders rang me and said that Middlesbrough and Forest had made a bid for him," said Jewell in the East Anglian Daily Times. "We did enquire after him, in fact we made a bid for him, but he's going to Middlesbrough." Boro confirmed last Friday that Friend had agreed personal terms and undergone a medical, with the transfer expected to be finalised on Monday.