Following their promotion to the Premier League last season, Ipswich Town are ready to spend like the big boys and make significant improvements to Kieran McKenna’s team.
The Tractor Boys mean business this summer
While their biggest business heading into the summer was convincing McKenna to stay at Portman Road, Ipswich surged into the transfer window and signed a number of big names.
While each of the aforementioned players will almost certainly start for the Tractor Boys, the return of Omari Hutchinson will pique the interest of the Portman Road crowd.
The winger spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town, where he scored 11 goals and assisted six times in 50 games. With the 20-year-old now permanently with the club, Hutchinson is expected to play a key role in Ipswich’s campaign next season.
While the eye-catching prices that Ipswich have paid for permanent signings will make headlines, the free move of Ben Johnson should not be ignored. In a team with very little Premier League experience, adding a player with 69 top-flight matches at the age of 24 will be a huge addition to McKenna’s side.
With the Tractor Boys’ summer spending spree showing no signs of slowing, it looks that the club is prepared to compete with other Premier League clubs for the signing of a European player.
Ipswich eye move for AC Milan midfielder
According to Independent Ipswich Town website TWTD, Ipswich have joined Leicester City and Nottingham Forest in their pursuit of AC Milan’s Alexis Saelemaekers. According to the outlet, the Tractors Boys have enquired about the Belgian midfielder/winger, who is reported to be surplus to requirements at San Siro this summer.
While Ipswich’s interest does not extend beyond this initial contact, Leicester has gone one step further and made a proposal for Saelemaekers. While the sum of the Foxes’ bid is unknown, it is said to be close to AC Milan’s asking price of €12-15 million (£10-£12.6 million).
While Saelemaekers has struggled to establish himself during his time with the Rossoneri, the 25-year-old spent last season on loan with Bologna, where he played an important role in their campaign. Former Bologna coach Thiago Motta commented on Saelemaekers’ performances, saying he “has something special”.
What a goal by Alexis Saelemaekers @ASaelemaekers vs Napoli 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/Z99GCnInBz
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) April 5, 2023
The Belgian is typically a left winger, although he has the passing range and physical profile to play central midfield as well. This adaptability would be extremely beneficial to a manager like McKenna, who expects his players to be adaptable and cover different areas of the field.