Ipswich Town: 5 Premier League fringe players the club could make a late transfer move for
Ipswich Town have had a superb start to their Championship season and if they strengthen more, they could do back-to-back promotions
Ipswich Town’s outstanding start to the Championship season has put them in contention for promotion.
The club could benefit from signing Premier League fringe players like Jay Rodriguez, Adam Smith, Lewis O’Brien, and Reece Burke.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is a highly sought-after talent who could provide guaranteed game time for Ipswich if they secure him on loan.
Kieran McKenna’s men, fresh off the back of a 99-point season in the Championship last time out, won their first three in the second-tier to go top, albeit after a fortuitous 1-0 win over QPR.
A hatful of signings this summer have been great for them, but with a very young squad, they may just need that experience to get over the line. With promotion looking a very big possibility after their start, Football League World looks at five Premier League fringe players they could sign to get them over the line.
Jay Rodriguez
Rodriguez was unfortunate not to play for Burnley too often after an injury November last season – he saw himself out of Vincent Kompany’s plans, and once it was time to get back into the team, Ashley Barnes, Lyle Foster and Michael Obafemi all found themselves firing away.
With Zeki Amdouni being signed to the Clarets’ ranks this season, Rodriguez once again looks like being fourth-choice striker once the Clarets squad is up to full speed – and according to reports, they’re looking for one more before the window shuts.
By contrast, whilst Ipswich’s squad is talented, Rodriguez has serious credentials when it comes to the second-tier. He has won the play-offs with Burnley in 2009 and the title last season.
With game time limited at his home town, heading into a similarly young, attacking squad like Kieran McKenna’s could offer him the chance to play once more and collect silverware upon the way.
Adam Smith
Smith has become synonymous with Bournemouth’s Premier League stints, and their survival last year means that the club are set for their 7th Premier League season from a possible nine – an outstanding achievement for the south coast club.
However, their capture of Max Aarons from Norwich this summer, Andoni Iraola’s pressing style of play and Ryan Fredericks’ athleticism means that Smith could find himself way down the pecking order.
With Harry Clarke’s youth and Smith’s experience, the Tractor Boys could use both in tandem – Janoi Donacien’s lack of second-tier experience and Clarke’s high ceiling means that the latter, unfortunately, misses out.
Lewis O’Brien
O’Brien has suffered a horrid last six months of his career, but he could get the chance for redemption at Portman Road if the chance allowed.
Nottingham Forest signed the Championship star last summer from Huddersfield, but what promised to be a decent spell at the City Ground soon went awry after he was denied a loan spell at Blackburn on January deadline day – before being omitted from Forest’s 25-man squad.
A spell in the MLS beckoned, but with his loan spell over, he’s unlikely to get back into the Forest side – and there aren’t many better options than the table-topping Tractor Boys.
Reece Burke
To avoid going down the route of old players on the fringes, this is a signing that would still inject youth, quality and re-sale value – what isn’t to like?
Burke is still only 26, and enjoyed a very strong spell at Hull City before joining Luton in 2021. He didn’t quite get a chance to impress last season, though of the final 17 games he did play, Luton lost just once – and that was to runaway leaders Burnley.
Luton have since signed Mads Andersen to punt him further down the pecking order, and a rebirth quite a bit closer to home could do him the world of good.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
Rak-Sakyi is a name that has long been linked with Kieran McKenna’s side, but it will be now or never if they want to land him on loan for the season.
The youngster did feature for Crystal Palace in the final minutes of their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Monday evening, though he was rolled onto the pitch as a last throw of the dice. As good as it is for him that he featured in the top-flight, the talent will be best served playing in the second-tier with guaranteed game time.
The feeling you get with Rak-Sakyi is that he might not be allowed out on loan come January if he doesn’t move anywhere. Palace may as well use him if they don’t allow him out, and who knows – he could well stay at Selhurst Park beyond then.
