Ipswich Town have a thin squad at the moment, but there are a handful of players who are on the periphery of the starting lineup and may look to move on if they can’t play regularly in the Premier League next season.
However, many of them will be desperate to use pre-season to show that they can make the step-up to the top flight, and manager Kieran McKenna looks set to give them that opportunity.
Alex Jones picks out five players who might have a point to prove before the start of the campaign.
Marcus Harness
We had this conversation surrounding Marcus Harness last season, asking whether the jump from League One to the Championship would be too big for him. He stood out in pre-season last summer, and although he wasn’t a regular in the starting lineup, he played an important role in Town’s promotion to the Premier League.
12 months on and we’re in the exact same position, asking whether he has what it takes to contribute to a season in the top flight. Just like last summer, the 28-year-old is clearly aware of the question marks hanging over him and wants to prove his doubters wrong.
That’s exactly what he did on Saturday afternoon, replacing the injured Wes Burns 30 minutes into the Blues’ friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf at Portman Road. He largely ran the show, creating plenty of chances and scoring the equaliser. There was no pre-season rustiness in his performance – he looked livelier than anyone else on the pitch.
So what now? Harness will hope to get a full 90 minutes in one of the two games against Bundesliga opposition this weekend, but given that he’s the only fully-fit winger in the squad, he may be involved in both. Omari Hutchinson is set to return to action this week, but Nathan Broadhead is set to miss two months with a hamstring injury while we’re yet to discover the extent of Burns’ damaged ankle.
This one will surely depend on how many wingers Ipswich sign, but if he keeps up his current run of form, he’ll surely get a chance in the Premier League.
George Edmundson
George Edmundson was once considered to be one of the best centre-backs at the club, but a nasty injury saw him lose his place in League One. He didn’t get too much game time ahead of Cameron Burgess and Luke Woolfenden last season, but like Harness, he had a part to play.
His role was different – not a super sub, but instead a specialist defender. He was famously brought in to face Hull City in October last year as the perfect counter for Liam Delap, who’s now a team-mate of his. The 26-year-old can play on either side of the centre-back partnership, which makes him a valuable asset.
However, if he found game time hard to come by last season, it’ll be even harder next season. The arrival of Jacob Greaves means that there’s even more competition, while the signing of Ben Johnson could see Axel Tuanzebe switch from right-back to centre-back.
Linked with a move to then League One Portsmouth in January, Edmundson was determined to stick around and fight for his place. He’s been rewarded with 45 minutes against Shakhtar Donetsk and Fortuna Dusseldorf – two good opportunities to show what he’s capable of.
What now? The reality is that he’ll probably be a fifth-choice centre-back if he stays at the club, assuming that no further defensive additions are made before the window closes. However, he’s different to the other options and McKenna knows that. He’s better equipped to dealing with fast and physical attackers, which the Blues will face a lot next season.
He'll aim to prove that he’s got what it takes to play that role. Patience will be key for him, but if he can get good minutes in the next couple of weeks, there’s a part for him to play in the Premier League.
Christian Walton
Like Edmundson, Christian Walton suffered a nasty injury that has seen his stock plummet. He’s been at risk of becoming the forgotten man at Portman Road, having played second fiddle behind Vaclav Hladky last season. The same could happen now that Arijanet Muric has arrived at Portman Road.
It leaves him with a decision to make – does he stick around to be a back-up goalkeeper in the Premier League, or does he look to move on for regular game time elsewhere? The answer remains to be seen, but pre-season will be crucial for him.
Walton will want to put himself in the best position possible. If he stays, he’ll need to use the next few weeks to show everyone that he’s a top-level goalkeeper, reminding us of how highly he was rated before his plantar fascia injury. In that case, if Muric slips up, he can argue that he’s the right man to play in goal.
Alternatively, this may be his opportunity to get some eyes on him. There’s no denying that he’s a unique goalkeeper who’ll have suitors if he’s available. A strong pre-season will put him in a strong position to get a good move, which would benefit both him and the club.
He looked sharp in the second half against Fortuna Dusseldorf and saved a penalty from Matthias Zimmermann in the shoot-out. It’s a good start and he’ll be hoping for more, whatever happens next.
Massimo Luongo and Jack Taylor
I’ve put these two players in the same category because they’re competing in the same area of the pitch – and broadly speaking, their situations are quite similar.
The fact that Massimo Luongo needs to prove himself may seem a little bizarre. He played 43 games in the Championship last season, scoring three goals. The 31-year-old was clearly the best partner for Sam Morsy, but there are already some doubts about his ability to be a regular in the Premier League.
There’s a desire for a new addition to come in and play alongside the skipper, someone who’s younger, taller and more physical. That’s understandable, but also highlights the ruthless nature of football. Luongo will look to prove that he’s the best option, even if Town enter the transfer market for midfield reinforcements.
If they do so, it could knock Jack Taylor down the pecking order. The former Peterborough United man had a bit-part role in the Championship, which could mean that Premier League minutes are hard to come by. However, his versatility will be key when it comes to proving himself worthy of a big role in the squad.
Many fans are keen to see him play in a more advanced role, perhaps covering Conor Chaplin, while McKenna started him as a left winger in the defeat to Fortuna Dusseldorf. Of course, he can also play deeper, as he often did last season.
If he can show that he’s able to contribute in all those areas of the pitch, he’ll surely catch the manager’s eye and could become an invaluable member of the group, even if the step up will be big for him. This is his chance to show he can do it.
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