Breaking: Ipswich Town to part ways with veteran star next season

Jeremy Sarmiento, an Ipswich Town loanee, may not return to Portman Road next season after Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi revealed that the attacker “needs to play in a different context”.

The Tractor Boys stunned the football world by advancing from League One to the Premier League in consecutive seasons, becoming the first team in English football to do so since Nigel Adkins’ Southampton in 2012.

Sarmiento’s late goal in a 3-2 victory over the Saints at the start of April was one of the most critical goals on Kieran McKenna’s team’s path to returning to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

McKenna made a risky move by bringing on the Ecuador international with one minute of normal time remaining, replacing leading scorer Conor Chaplin. However, the risk paid off as Sarmiento tucked the ball home in the seventh minute of stoppage time to seal a stunning victory for the East Anglian team, sending Portman Road into a frenzy.

🇪🇨🤯 Jeremy Sarmiento (21) with a 90+7' winner vs Southampton! 🔝

Huge goal for Ipswich as they fight for promotion to the Premier League. ✨ pic.twitter.com/N97n9nsO0P

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) April 2, 2024

This was not Sarmiento’s only significant goal for Ipswich Town during his six-month loan period. The 21-year-old also scored a late equaliser to earn a point against Leicester City, shortly after signing on loan in January.

JEREMY SARMIENTO!! 😮

His first goal for Ipswich and what a HUGE goal to get! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WSHxlZw6gw

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 22, 2024

Nonetheless, the Ecuadorian was never one of the first names on the squad sheet, and at a recent press conference, Brighton head coach De Zerbi hinted that this is why Sarmiento’s future may not be with the Tractor Boys [quotes via Sussex World].

“I followed him. I watched many games. He didn’t play so many games in the first XI but he was important for Ipswich. In West Bromwich the same, I think. He needs to play in a different context.

“He can play No.10, he can play winger but he has to play a particular type of football. Ipswich and West Bromwich played in a good style. He can be important next season, but we have to analyse the squad.”

In addition, if West Bromwich Albion is promoted back to the Premier League before the end of the month, Sarmiento will have helped two different Championship clubs get promoted in the same season despite not playing a vital role in either side.

Sarmiento made 43 appearances in all competitions for both the Baggies and Ipswich Town this season, but he only played 1,470 minutes in total, averaging 34 minutes per appearance, which is why De Zerbi may be reluctant to send him back to Portman Road.