adminIpswich Town Reshaping Squad After Premier League Relegation
Following their relegation from the Premier League last season, Ipswich Town are actively reshaping their squad in preparation for a return to the Championship. Several players have already come and gone, with more transfer activity expected at Portman Road in the coming weeks.
Under manager Kieran McKenna, the Tractor Boys achieved successive promotions from League One and the Championship in 2022/23 and 2023/24. However, their long-awaited return to the Premier League after 22 years did not go as hoped.
Ipswich managed just four wins throughout the campaign, collecting only 22 points. They finished 19th, 16 points adrift of safety, with a goal difference of -46.
Despite the setback, relegation may offer a silver lining. The Suffolk club enters the 2025/26 Championship season as one of the frontrunners for promotion, alongside fellow parachute payment clubs Leicester City and Southampton.
So far, Ipswich’s most notable signing has been Dutch midfielder Azor Matusiwa, who arrived for a reported £7.8 million.
McKenna has also added defender Cedric Kipre on loan from Reims and veteran Ashley Young on a free transfer to strengthen the back line.
The club had also shown interest in Middlesbrough midfielder and England U21 international Hayden Hackney, but The Northern Echo reports he has rejected a move to Portman Road.
On the outgoing side, striker Liam Delap’s £30 million transfer to Chelsea stands as the club’s biggest sale of the summer — and the only one for which they’ve received a fee.
Club captain Sam Morsy has also departed, moving to Kuwait SC, while Cameron Burgess, Axel Tuanzebe, Massimo Luongo, and Marcus Harness all left upon the expiry of their contracts.
With the transfer window still open, further departures are likely. Here are three players who could be on the move:
Omari Hutchinson
After impressing during a loan spell that helped Ipswich gain promotion from the Championship, Omari Hutchinson joined permanently from Chelsea for £22.5 million. The 21-year-old featured regularly during the club’s Premier League campaign and played a key role in England U21’s European Championship triumph this summer, where they beat Germany in the final.
His strong performances have drawn attention from Brentford, who reportedly had a £35 million offer turned down in July, according to Fabrizio Romano. With Premier League interest still high, Hutchinson could yet leave Portman Road this summer.
Arijanet Muric
Brought in from Burnley for a fee that could rise to over £15 million, Arijanet Muric was expected to be Ipswich’s first-choice goalkeeper in the top flight. But after 18 appearances, he lost his place to Alex Palmer, who arrived from West Brom and finished the season as the starting keeper.
Palmer has continued in goal during pre-season friendlies, and reports suggest interest in Muric from Sassuolo in Italy and Monaco in France. With limited chances of reclaiming the No. 1 jersey, the Kosovan international may look to move on before the window closes.
Nathan Broadhead
Nathan Broadhead joined Ipswich from Everton in January 2023, while the club was still in League One. Since then, he has played a crucial part in their back-to-back promotions, contributing two goals in 18 Premier League appearances last season.
Now, newly promoted Wrexham have reportedly tabled a bid in excess of £7.5 million, eyeing Broadhead as a potential marquee signing. While Ipswich’s stance is unclear, the Welsh international could yet make a move before the deadline.
With several decisions still to be made, Ipswich’s squad could look quite different by the time the new Championship season kicks off.
admin
