Feature

2024/25 club preview: Ipswich Town

By Alex Keble 15 Aug 2024
Delap, Ipswich

Will Tractor Boys be able to secure Premier League safety following back-to-back promotions?

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Ipswich Town

This is the sweet spot. On the eve of their first Premier League campaign in 22 years, Ipswich Town fans dream of beating Liverpool at Portman Road in the August sun.

Following back-to-back promotions, supporters have every right to drink this moment in and dream big.

The reality could be very different. But for now, Ipswich fans bask in hope and possibility - and well they should. 

Performance last season

Championship: Second
FA Cup:
Fourth round
EFL Cup:
Fourth round 

Last five seasons
Season League position 
2019/20  11th (League One)
2020/21  9th (League One)
2021/22  11th (League One)
2022/23  2nd (League One)
2023/24  2nd (Championship)
Best Premier League finish

Fifth: 2000/01

See: More about Ipswich's history

Season aims

Ipswich are the bookies’ odds-on favourites to be relegated, hardly surprising given Kieran McKenna performed a miracle in getting them up to the Premier League.

But that doesn’t mean they are doomed.

The last club to win consecutive promotions to the top flight, Southampton in 2012, managed to stay up. It could happen.

Key transfers

There were two notable signings on Friday, with the 2023/24 Championship Golden Boot-winner Sam Szmodics arriving from Blackburn Rovers, while Kalvin Phillips has come in on loan from Manchester City.

The Tractor Boys have also recruited forward Liam Delap from Man City, taking a reported £20million gamble on a promising academy graduate who scored eight Championship goals on loan at Hull City last season.

Meanwhile, Arijanet Muric has joined from Burnley, Ben Johnson was picked up on a free transfer from West Ham United, and talented defender Jacob Greaves arrives from Hull City in a major shake-up at the back.

Ipswich's key transfers so far
Player  Transfer Type Club
Omari Hutchinson Transfer In Chelsea
Ben Johnson  Transfer In West Ham
Jacob Greaves Transfer In Hull City
Liam Delap Transfer In Manchester City
Arijanet Muric Transfer In Burnley
Conor Townsend Transfer In West Brom
Sam Szmodics Transfer In Blackburn Rovers
Kalvin Phillips Loan In Manchester City

See: Clubs' summer 2024 transfers

Tactics

McKenna’s fluid 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation is direct and attack-minded, with bodies pouring forward at every opportunity.

When the ball is lost, forwards press hard from the front to win it back. It is an aggressive and ambitious system that will need to be dialled down if Ipswich are to handle the step up.

Injury report 
Player  Injury Latest Update
Nathan Broadhead Hamstring Details
Harry Clarke Achilles Details
Cameron Humphreys Thigh Details
George Hirst Knee -

See: Latest injuries and news

Pre-season results and fixtures

20 July Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Ipswich Town Report
27 July 
Ipswich 1-2 Fortuna Dusseldorf Report
3 Aug 
Ipswich 1-0 Hoffenheim Report
10 Aug 
Ipswich 1-0 Nice Report

Best XI (4-3-3)

Arijanet Muric; Axel Tuanzebe, Jacob Greaves, Luke Woolfenden, Leif Davis; Kalvin Phillips, Sam Morsy, Omari Hutchinson; Wes Burns, Liam Delap, Sam Szmodics.

Opening PL fixtures
Kits
Ipswich home kit
Ipswich away kit
Ipswich third kit

See: More details at Ipswich's online store

Where will they finish?

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