Just In: Ipswich Town Showing Interest In Burnley Duo To Bolster Squad

admin | May 15, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Following their promotion, Ipswich Town began looking for new additions to enhance their squad for top-flight football, and one of the finest ways to build a roster is to raid demoted Premier League teams.

After a spectacular season in which Ipswich secured their second successive promotion, the club is now ready to return to the Premier League after more than 20 years away, where they will reportedly recruit players who they believe can make the step-up to the Premier League with them.

Ipswich cannot afford a bad start to the summer, and Burnley has two players who, despite being relegated this season, may be extremely beneficial in their quest for survival. Goals have not been an issue for the Tractor Boys this season, although they have conceded 22 more league goals than the previous year, which was to be expected given their promotion from the third division.

Ipswich Town’s transfer policy ahead of 2024/25

Floor-raising signings that boost depth are not the way to go; instead, look for ceiling raisers. Players that come in and immediately strengthen the first team and starting lineup, as well as being among the greatest players on the squad.

That should include economical domestic signings with lots of Championship or Premier League experience for their age, who should help the side in the coming season, and players in defensive areas will be Kieran McKenna’s top objective.

Ipswich will understand that they must first focus on strengthening their defensive before moving on to more advanced areas. It’s a difficult decision for many at the club because Vaclav Hladky and Cameron Burgess, among other defenders, have performed admirably at times throughout the 2023/24 season despite conceding 57 goals.

With that in mind, it might be argued that a number of their current defenders deserve to start next season, particularly given their familiarity with McKenna’s methods and training in the fast-paced repetitive motions in possession. It would be a mistake to overreact in those areas, but some great box-defenders who are physically confrontational would be extremely beneficial to McKenna’s weaker defensive players.

It would be negligent and irresponsible to spend the vast majority of their budget on forwards, but they will also need some additions, as Omari Hutchinson, Jeremy Sarmiento, and Kieffer Moore are all returning to their parent clubs, necessitating decisions on their futures by both their loan clubs and Ipswich if they want to pursue permanent deals.

Burnley duo would be perfect for Ipswich Town

Burnley’s Josh Cullen and Dara O’Shea are two players who would be ideal for Ipswich in the near term as they look to maintain their Premier League position in the first season. Although the two Irish internationals were relegated over the weekend, they are 28 and 25 years old, making them good value stop-gaps in their first few seasons in the top division.

Cullen, in particular, would be perfectly suited to McKenna’s style of play, while also providing security out of possession to expand Ipswich’s holding midfield options. His combative and physically competitive character, combined with his youth, make him an outstanding alternative pivot player and a significant improvement over Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo.

O’Shea is less suited to the style of play in terms of what he brings to the ball, but the Irishman would be an excellent complement to many of McKenna’s other defensive options. He has the height, aerial prowess, and low-block defensive qualities to step right in and command the box at both ends for Ipswich.

He is also younger than Burgess, giving them significantly more longevity, while also being a highly capable Championship player in case the worst happens and Ipswich is instantly demoted back down, as Burnley has been this season. O’Shea would also benefit from Leif Davis’ offensive set-pieces, which are one of the most effective ways for a newly promoted club like Ipswich to gain an advantage over their new Premier League opponents.

Of course, Burnley and Vincent Kompany are likely to want to keep both players at Turf Moor next year for another promotion-pushing campaign, but relegation has weakened their hand, and both could be available for a reasonable price, while both footballers are likely to want to play at the highest level possible if they can.

After surrendering many goals this season, Cullen and O’Shea tick a lot of boxes in a double raid of a team that Ipswich will replace in the top division next year. Cullen has captained Burnley on occasion in recent seasons, as has O’Shea with West Brom. Leadership, among other intangibles, will be critical for a squad that is projected to lose significantly more frequently next year than it has in the previous two seasons in the EFL.