3 Ipswich Town transfer situations that need sorting by 11pm on September 1st
There is still work for the Tractor Boys to do in the window.
- Ipswich Town are interested in Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, but face competition from at least four other Championship clubs.
- Ipswich Town, despite already securing George Hirst on a permanent deal, still want to sign a striker and were willing to spend up to £8 million on Southampton’s Adam Armstrong.
- Ipswich Town have shown interest in signing free agent defender Axel Tuanzebe, but will need a quick answer from the player due to competition from other clubs.
It has been an excellent start to life back in the Championship for Ipswich Town.
Following their promotion from League One last season, Kieran McKenna’s side have claimed impressive victories over Sunderland and Stoke City in their opening two games of the league campaign.
As a result, the Tractor Boys currently sit top of the Championship table heading into gamweek three, albeit we are still at the very early stages of the season.
Indeed, with the vast majority of the season still to come, it is likely Ipswich will have to do a fair amount of work in what remains in this summer’s transfer window, to give themselves the best possible chance of remaining at the top end of the second-tier standings, come next May.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three transfer scenarios that Ipswich will want to see resolved before the market closes at the end of August, right here
Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has been a man in demand from Championship clubs this summer, following an outstanding loan spell in League One with Charlton Athletic last season.
According to the latest reports, although Ipswich are one of the clubs to have been leading the race for his signature this summer, at least four other sides have had talks about bringing him to the Championship on loan this season. Meanwhile, Palace boss Roy Hodgson has suggested he is not currently in a position to let Rak-Sakyi leave, due to his lack of options on the wing at Selhurst Park right now.
As a result, it seems there are still some significant hurdles for the Tractor Boys to negotiate if they are to get this deal done, though you feel that given the quality of player they would be getting if they succeed, there will be a determination at Portman Road to do just that.
Although they have already made George Hirst’s loan move from Leicester City into a permanent deal, it seems Ipswich are still keen to add to their centre forward options this summer.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Tractor Boys had been willing to spend up to £8million to sign Southampton striker Adam Armstrong during the transfer window, only for the Saints to decide to keep the striker as part of Russell Martin’s squad for the coming campaign.
Even so, the fact Ipswich were willing to spend that much on a single player indicates the desire and expectation to add to the attacking ranks in the next couple of weeks, meaning there may well now be pressure on the club to use those funds wisely on an Armstrong alternative, before the end of August.
Will Ipswich make their Tuanzebe interest count?
It seems there may also be work for Ipswich to do at the other end of the pitch before the window closes at the end of the month.
According to reports from TEAMTalk, The Tractor Boys are also interested in signing centre back Axel Tuanzebe, who is currently a free agent after leaving Manchester United at the end of last season.
However, a number of other clubs have also been credited with an interest in Tuanzebe, including Stoke, where the defender spent time on loan last season. As a result, you feel Ipswich will be keen to get a quick answer from the 25-year-old sooner rather than later, then they can decide whether or not to move onto other potential targets.
Hogan dropped: The predicted Birmingham City XI to face Bristol City
FLW takes a look at the Blues side that could face the Robins on Saturday afternoon
Birmingham head into this weekend with a spring in their step following a positive start to the 2023/24 campaign.
Optimism has been rife in the blue half of the second city after the club’s long-awaited takeover and a subsequent showing of ambition in the transfer market that has welcomed the likes of Sirki Dembele, Koji Miyoshi and the returns of both Krystian Bielik and Dion Sanderson among others.
That excitement has certainly been vindicated in the early stages of the season.
Blues claimed a respectable 1-1 draw at Swansea City in their season-opener and, having won 2-0 at Cheltenham Town in the EFL Cup, they narrowly pipped promotion hopefuls Leeds United on home soil last weekend, meaning that they will have plenty of confidence and momentum ahead of their trip to Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon.
With that in mind, we have predicted how John Eustace will assemble his side against Bristol City.
Birmingham head into this weekend with a spring in their step following a positive start to the 2023/24 campaign.
Optimism has been rife in the blue half of the second city after the club’s long-awaited takeover and a subsequent showing of ambition in the transfer market that has welcomed the likes of Sirki Dembele, Koji Miyoshi and the returns of both Krystian Bielik and Dion Sanderson among others.
That excitement has certainly been vindicated in the early stages of the season.
Blues claimed a respectable 1-1 draw at Swansea City in their season-opener and, having won 2-0 at Cheltenham Town in the EFL Cup, they narrowly pipped promotion hopefuls Leeds United on home soil last weekend, meaning that they will have plenty of confidence and momentum ahead of their trip to Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon.
With that in mind, we have predicted how John Eustace will assemble his side agaThe former-England international featured in all but three matches for Birmingham last time out, and after conceding just once in their opening two outings, he will almost certainly retain his place between the sticks.
inst Bristol City.
Summer signing Laird appears one of Blues’ best captures to date.
During the curtain-raiser in South Wales, the promising right-back defined an astonishing performance against his former club with six completed dribbles, 21 duels won and a total of nine tackles and interceptions.
That form was continued against Leeds as Laird ensured winger Dan James got no change by racking up a combined six tackles and interceptions, too.
A formidable force at both ends of the pitch, he looks sure to have a big role to play against Nigel Pearson’s side.
Their defence has been water-tight this month and the returning Sanderson has proved pivotal to just that.
Capable of physically dominating opponents while giving his side a platform to play out from the back with composure and press-resistance while in possession, he is a shoe-in moving forward.
An imposing defensive partnership has been built up between Sanderson and Long at the heart of Birmingham’s backline.
With Bristol City posing a clear goal threat, Eustace will undoubtedly be keen to keep that going now.
Sunjic’s profile makes him a no-brainer when looking to win a game from midfield.
Dogged, determined and adept at breaking up play, the one-time Croatian international never shirks a tackle and provides no opponents with an easy ride- and he could be vital at shutting out Jason Knight.
