Breaking: Pundit reacts to the issue Ipswich will face if £20m star departs

admin | March 1, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Ipswich Town have had an excellent start to life back in the Championship, and few players have been more impressive in the second tier than Leif Davis, who is receiving Premier League interest ahead of the summer.

Last year, the left-back was named to the EFL League One team of the season after racking up 14 assists.

The 24-year-old will have hoped to progress further with a season in the Championship, although he is no stranger to the division, having previously played for Leeds United and Bournemouth.

As pleased as the Tractor Boys would have been to clinch a spot in the second tier last year, they were always going to be seeking not only to make up the numbers in this season’s Championship, but also to be ambitious about what the 2023/24 campaign might contain and to push on further.

Davis is maybe the clearest example of a player who needed to step up and took it in stride. He has already resumed where he left off in the third tier, contributing 14 assists in 32 appearances across all competitions.

Interest in Leif Davis emerges

Such form was always going to alert top-flight clubs to Davis’ availability, as he established himself as one of the greatest attacking left-backs in the second tier.

Kieran McKenna’s team are presently third in the table, but they will be loath to lose Davis as they aim to return to the Premier League in the coming years, but they may face a battle to keep him this summer.

According to TalkSPORT, the defender is generating transfer interest, with both West Ham and Newcastle United reportedly keeping an eye on Davis ahead of the summer. According to TWTD, Nottingham Forest is another Premier League club interested in signing the full-back.

It is believed that Ipswich will value Davis in excess of £20 million.

Carlton Palmer’s reaction to Premier League interest in Ipswich star

Carlton Palmer, an ex-England international, is unclear whether Davis would remain at Portman Road after the summer if his present side fails to earn promotion.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, he shared his thoughts on David’s transfer status. He stated: “Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham are three of the clubs said to be interested in Ipswich’s talented left-back Leif Davis.”

“He is having a tremendous season with Ipswich right now, registering 14 assists in 31 league appearances, building on last season’s brilliance when the team was promoted.

“The problem for Ipswich is that his contract is slated to expire in the summer of 2025, but they have the option to extend it by another 12 months.

“The issue is, he’s done incredibly well for Ipswich Town, and I’m sure a lot of things will be discussed depending on whether Ipswich is promoted to the Premier League or not.

“If Davis does not sign a new contract and Ipswich does not get promoted, they may have to sit down, be reasonable, and move him on.”

“The proposals and quantities being discussed total around £20 million, so it’s extremely interesting.

“West Ham have been studying him all season, so a lot will depend on which tier he plays in next season.

“Should he not be playing in the Premier League [with Ipswich] next season, then I’m sure he will want to move on to pastures new.”

Leif Davis is ready for the Premier League

Davis’ defensive abilities may be called into doubt, but he is unquestionably a Premier League player on the field.

West Ham are particularly in need of a long-term left-back due to Aaron Cresswell’s age, thus Davis could benefit from a move to the Premier League.

However, the 24-year-old is a lifelong Newcastle fan from Tyneside and would almost surely be interested in joining Eddie Howe’s side if they agreed to a deal with Ipswich this summer.