Ipswich Town now eyeing move to sign “fantastic” £200k-p/w ace for McKenna

Ipswich Town are one of two clubs considering a move to sign an out-of-favour international ace in the January transfer window, according to a report.

Ipswich heavy spending yet to pay off

Off the back of consecutive promotions from League One to the Premier League, Ipswich were one of the busiest sides in the transfer window as they looked to bolster their squad.

After securing the future of manager Kieran McKenna amid interest from sides across the top flight, they invested heavily in their squad as they look to avoid a drop straight back to the Championship.

Omari Hutchinson led the spending, as the Tractor Boys turned his loan move into a permanent one for a fee just shy of £20m, while they also plundered the Championship to sign Arijanet Muric, Jacob Greaves, Jack Clarke, Dara O’Shea and Sammie Szmodics.

Meanwhile, Manchester City pair Liam Delap and Kalvin Phillips were also signed, with the latter joining the East Anglian outfit on loan while Delap signed a long-term deal at Portman Road.

Despite this transfer activity, there are still holes in the Ipswich squad and McKenna is still waiting for his first Premier League win as a manager, with defeats against Liverpool and Manchester City followed up by draws against Fulham and Brighton, leaving the East Anglian side narrowly above the relegation zone and with just two points to their name after four Premier League outings.

As a result, further transfer activity is expected in January, and now a potential target has emerged.

Ipswich keen on £200k-a-week defender

That comes as The Sun have revealed that McKenna’s side are eyeing up a surprise move to sign Chelsea outcast Ben Chilwell in January as he looks for a way out of Stamford Bridge.

The England international was publicly made an outcast by Enzo Maresca over the summer, with the Blues boss explaining:

“When you train every day and not get any minutes it is not good for them or for me and I need to make a decision.”

“Probably it is better to leave and go and get minutes. The transfer window is open so we will see what will happen.”

However, Chilwell was unable to find a move away and, as a result, has been reintegrated into the first team, being named among Chelsea’s Premier League squad for the first half of the season.

But clearly not wanted by Chelsea and with both Marc Cucurella and summer signing Renato Veiga ahead of him in the pecking order, an exit is likely with the Blues keen to be rid of his £200,000 a week wages.

The Sun report that Ipswich are on “red alert” over a potential January move, in what would likely be a loan move given the wage demands of the England international.

His arrival could allow some rotation for current fullback Leif Davis, who excelled in the Championship but has seen his defensive ability exploited in the opening stages of the Premier League season. Meanwhile, in Chilwell Ipswich would be getting a player dubbed “fantastic” by former boss Frank Lampard, and one with a point to prove.

“I thought Ben Chilwell was fantastic in his contribution in all senses. He gets his goal, he gets an assist and he was always ready to join in. He’s Premier League ready, we know that having played in this league as well as he has for Leicester and he looked like he’d played for us for a long time”, Lampard explained during his first stint with the club.

It could well be a move that suits all parties, and strengthens Ipswich’s chances of survival.