Ipswich Town and Kieran McKenna have qualified for the Premier League, but they will need to strengthen their roster.
They will want to do so since Premier League life can be difficult if proper changes are not made, as some players may struggle to meet the standards of the top tier.
Sam Morsy, a 32-year-old midfielder, may be replaced by a younger, Premier League-ready candidate, despite playing a significant role in the club’s promotion from the Championship.
That might be someone like Ben Sheaf, who has impressed for Coventry City this season and could easily make the jump to the Premier League if Ipswich comes calling.
Ben Sheaf is Premier League ready
Sheaf has been a notable performance not only for Coventry, but throughout the Championship this season.
The 26-year-old has been a key player for the Sky Blues as the team attempts to reach the play-offs again, as well as a run to the FA Cup semi-finals.
Throughout his performances in all competitions this season, he has finally demonstrated why he was a graduate of Arsenal FC’s academy, and why so many fans, commentators, and journalists have labelled the Englishman as “Premier League ready”.
The midfielder is also versatile, having played on both the attacking and defensive sides of the midfield, which is ideal in today’s game, as teams want to transition swiftly between passing out of defence and starting an attack.
Ipswich need to make younger upgrades
As is logical for any promoted side (let alone one that has gone from League One to the Premier League in two seasons), enhancements are sought to provide a team with the best possible chance of avoiding immediate relegation, and McKenna and Ipswich will undoubtedly be no exception.
McKenna may look to replace or upgrade defensive midfielders.
Morsy is currently deployed in the Northern Irishman’s 4-2-3-1 formation alongside Massimo Luongo, and while he has played in a quality club that has gained Premier League promotion, it might be argued that the Egyptian is in need of an improvement.
It should be noted that both Luongo and Morsy are older than thirty. The latter is almost 33 years old, so there will be a need for a younger midfielder who can be used for years to come, as well as someone with the skill and discipline to compete in the Premier League next season.
Sheaf, as well as any other midfield targets who emerge during this transfer window, would assist with this. McKenna appears to have realized this, as Alan Nixon disclosed on Patreon that he is interested in recruiting the Coventry star to help bolster his squad, with the goal of also reducing the squad’s age. Sheaf is now 26, and if the goal is to cease relying on the seasoned duo of Luongo and Morsy, who will not be around indefinitely, now is the time to strike as a Premier League team once again.
Should Kieran McKenna make changes?
It is also logical that McKenna will want to shake up his midfield, despite the fact that Morsy and his midfield partner Luongo have demonstrated that they can be midfield constants in the Ipswich club even after a divisional shift.
The two have combined for 85 appearances, with Luongo appearing 43 times and Morsy 42 times in an incredibly impressive season; it would be foolish to rule out the pair rising up another level given what they’ve recently done. Both of these appearance totals outperform Sheaf, who, as seen in the chart above, made only 31 games in the Championship and sustained a few of injuries. Nonetheless, he has been in a significant number of games this campaign and can be relied upon.
The Ipswich pair’s on-paper stats look comparable to Sheaf’s. Luongo has not scored this season, but he has contributed three assists. Meanwhile, Morsy has out-assisted Sheaf and scored the same number of goals as him, implying that the team already possesses the desired level of talent.
Diving deeper and using Sofascore’s comparison tool, it is evident that, while Morsy may have performed better in some areas, his age may be showing in his contributions elsewhere on the field.
Sheaf averaged more tackles and interceptions per game than Morsy and appears to be a far more reliable defensive player, which will be critical for McKenna and Ipswich in the Premier League’s harsh landscape.
Unsurprisingly, he had fewer yellow cards and committed less fouls than Morsy during the Championship season, demonstrating that despite his much younger age, he is seasoned and can remain calm in games. This will be vital for McKenna once more, demonstrating that it may be prudent not to rely on a player above the age of 30 for too long, especially in the ultra-competitive Premier League.
McKenna should consider Sheaf as a quality addition to the squad, rather than a simple replacement for an old midfielder. Whoever signs Sheaf will acquire one of the Championship’s best midfielders. For Ipswich, he can be an upgrade over Morsy, relieving pressure on both the Egyptian and Luongo as they enter the Premier League.
