Until the first ball is kicked by a Tractor Boys shirt on opening day, Ipswich Town supporters will still find it hard to believe their team is playing in the Premier League ahead of next season. Liverpool, led by Arne Slot, will now be Ipswich’s first top-flight opponent back in the promised land.
After achieving back-to-back promotions from the dug-out and walking away from Manchester United to become a beloved figure at Portman Road, Kerry McKenna is tasked with the immense mission of keeping the Suffolk club afloat. After all, playing among English football’s elite dogs will definitely start to feel more real after this.
Despite rumours that he was in the running to replace Erik ten Hag as manager at Old Trafford, McKenna must have been tempted this summer to return to the Theatre of Dreams. However, for the time being, he stays as manager of Ipswich, eager to succeed with his enthusiastic team making the step-up, even in such a difficult division.
The Tractor Boys may have the advantage in a potentially thrilling battle against the relegation drop zone if they can spread quality over the pitch. They will need to bring in new players to offer the team even more talent as they attempt to adapt to the Premier League’s demands.
Taking that into consideration, here is what Ipswich’s ideal starting lineup may entail in August, featuring the return of a well-known player to Suffolk and the signing of a new custodian…
Ipswich may be about to make their move to the Premier League by bringing in a new custodian. Vaclav Hladky, the team’s top custodian, has made comments about his precarious status at Portman Road as his contract is coming to an end.
The ‘keeper that the 33-year-old is reportedly eyeing up to replace him is Carl Rushworth. Rushworth fits with McKenna’s playing philosophy and has a cool, collected demeanour when he plays out of the back for the EFL.
The 22-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion player, who was also on loan at Swansea City last season, maintained eleven clean sheets in the league. He is now a target for Ipswich.
Another defensive addition this summer might be Ben Johnson, who is rumoured to be a target, joining the ranks at Portman Road as a free agent after leaving West Ham United; if this deal materialises, it would be considered a smart acquisition.
If this trade goes through, Johnson might wind up pushing out his right-back rivals Axel Tuanzebe and Harry Clarke. Johnson has 109 matches under his belt for the Hammers, 69 of which came in the Premier League. He is a versatile and reliable figure at the back.
Ipswich may have required to purchase new defensive players before facing the challenge of the top division after conceding 57 goals in the Championship the previous season. Nat Phillips is another name on a lengthy list speculated to transfer to Portman Road in the center-back positions.
Along with Johnson’s possible arrival, Phillips would be able to provide the Ipswich back four with much-needed composure. Phillips has played in the Champions League seven times while at Anfield, and he has played in 19 Premier League games for the Reds overall.
While Cameron Burgess might be benched in favour of a fresh face at centre back, Luke Woolfenden might very well maintain his position at the core of defence.
Woolfenden, who had to put in a lot of effort to earn a starting position at Portman Road over the previous two seasons before blossoming under McKenna’s direction, will be itching to try himself in the top tier.
With 41 league games, the Ipswich number six helped his team retain 14 clean sheets last season. It is hoped that he can now handle the pressure of regularly facing elite attackers in the division above.
Prior to the 24/25 season, Leif Davis won’t have been concerned about his spot in the Ipswich first team at all because he knew that his berth was guaranteed thanks to his incredible 21 assists the previous season, even though he played left-back.
The 24-year-old, who was only given two opportunities overall while battling in West Yorkshire, will be keen to make an impression. He was short on playing time at Leeds United as a young player.
Another player who was on the books at a Premier League club early in his budding career and was only given one senior Spurs start is Massimo Luongo, who became well-known outside of North London.
During Ipswich’s promotion triumph, the Australia international missed just three games during the Championship season, so it’s doubtful that he won’t be included in McKenna’s plans for the upcoming difficult campaign.
Despite the persistent reports that Ipswich would want to bolster their holding midfield positions—Ben Sheaf from Coventry City is one prominent name that has been linked to the team—McKinna may choose to continue trusting Sam Morsy, the team’s seasoned head, at this time.
The Tractor Boys captain was also a mainstay on the first team during the previous season, racking up an astounding seven midfield assists from 44 games played.
The return of Omari Hutchinson, who would devastatingly attack the right flank for the Tractor Boys in the Premier League if a move occurs, would be another new addition that would thrill ardent Ipswich supporters.
Regaining the Chelsea young player seems obvious given his ability to play in Conor Chaplin’s position just behind the lone striker and down the left channel as well, however the reported £30 million price tag for his signing may prove to be a significant obstacle.
However, Ipswich might be tempted to splash the cash and make a statement given that the promotion-winners’ 17 goal contributions in all competitions remain fresh despite their loan.
Conor Chaplin has been with Ipswich since their League One days, like much of the current first-team personnel, rising up all the way to the Premier League with the Suffolk club in the process.
The former Barnsley player has been a beast for Ipswich over the last two winning seasons; his 13 goals and nine assists in the most recent campaign were essential to Ipswich’s automatic promotion.
Though he has spent the majority of his career slugging it out in the EFL, he more than deserves a chance to play in the elite league. It is still to be seen if he can manage the enormous step-up in quality.
Nathan Broadhead, who was let go from Everton after receiving very few first-team opportunities, will also want to make an impression in the premier league, particularly while facing his old employers.
However, Ipswich’s big win over the Merseyside team was made possible by the energetic Tractor Boys number 33, who scored 13 goals from 38 second-tier games last time out, matching Chaplin’s goal total.
Last but not least, even though players like Hutchinson, Chaplin, and Broadhead terrified lower-division defenders, there is still a bit of a void at Portman Road at the center-forward position.
Due to his season-long injuries, George Hirst, a former player for Leicester City, only made 26 appearances in the league as a starting striker. With Ali Al-Hamadi reportedly leaving on loan for the upcoming campaign, Ipswich could now focus on signing imposing Greek striker Fotis Ioannidis to bolster their striker depth.
In contrast, the powerful forward for Panathinaikos played in 44 games for the Greek team, scoring 23 goals in the process. A deal worth over £20 million is currently being considered for him to move to England.
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