Ipswich Town are now racing to sign a new midfielder, who looks set to leave this summer, with his club open to a sale.
Ipswich keen on more new signings after poor start
Kieran McKenna is looking to secure an instant return to the Premier League, but it would be fair to say his side haven’t gotten off to the best of starts, picking up just two points from their opening three Championship matches.
However, despite his side running out 1-0 winners on Saturday afternoon, Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom was left impressed by what he saw from Ipswich, saying: “They’ve got very good individuals, you can see that with the bench and also with the players who didn’t get on.
“But they’re a very good team without the ball as well, which you could see today. They’re going to be up there without a doubt.”
It is certainly true that McKenna has some real quality at his disposal, having set out to bolster his options in the engine room considerably, with defensive midfielders Azor Matusiwa and Jens Cajuste arriving earlier this summer.
However, Ipswich still remain keen on bringing in another central midfielder, according to a report from The Sun, which states they are in the race for Rennes midfielder Jordan James, although there could be fierce competition for his signature.
James is also being targeted by Wrexham, and Parma, with the Welsh club looking to outbid the Serie A side for the midfielder, who joined Rennes from Birmingham for a fee of £4m last summer.
Rennes are willing to sell the former Birmingham man to the highest bidder, despite featuring regularly in his debut campaign in Ligue 1, and he now looks set to leave.
James could be exciting addition to McKenna's midfield
The 20-time Wales international has certainly impressed for his country in the past, having been hailed by podcast host Jordan Webber after performing well against a Croatia midfield consisting of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovavic and Marcelo Brozovic.
Despite being just 21-years-old, the Hereford-born midfielder is also vastly experienced at Championship level, having been one of the only shining lights for Birmingham during the 2023-24 campaign, chipping in with eight goals in 42 league outings.
While Rennes’ willingness to sanction a departure suggests James wasn’t quite as impressive in Ligue 1, the experience of playing in a new country should stand the youngster in good stead to be a success at Portman Road, and joining promotion-chasing Ipswich should be an attractive proposition.