Ipswich Town aren’t the only Championship club on the hunt for a striker this summer. Stuart Watson highlights some deals to keep an eye on.
TOWN’S STRIKER SITUATION
As it stands, Freddie Ladapo and Kayden Jackson are the only two senior strikers at Kieran McKenna’s disposal (and Jackson’s best work came as a winger last season).
Gassan Ahadme has been loaned to Cambridge United, while Joe Pigott is in negotiations with the club about having his contract terminated by mutual consent.
GEORGE HIRST scored some important goals as Ipswich secured promotion automatic promotion from League One. He’s been back at parent club Leicester, freshly down from the Premier League, to be assessed by their new boss Enzo Maresca.
The 24-year-old wasn't involved in the Foxes' friendly at Peterborough yesterday. Are things falling into place for him to return to Portman Road? Let's take a look at what's happened/happening elsewhere...
COV SET THINGS OFF
Town were understood to have been very keen on signing ELLIS SIMMS from Everton but ultimately drew a line when it came to the asking price. The 22-year-old, who scored seven goals on loan at Sunderland in the first half of last season, went on to join Coventry City in a deal which reportedly could reach £8m.
He has been signed by the Sky Blues, who lost in the Championship Play-Off Final to Luton, as a replacement for outgoing star VIKTOR GYOKERES. The Swede is said to be close to sealing a £20m move to Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.
Market values have been set. A slow transfer window could now pick up pace as dominoes start to fall.
PIROE SET FOR FOXES
Leicester City have received £40m for the sale of star man James Maddison to Tottenham and reinvested £17.5m of that on the eye-catching additions of defender Conor Coady and midfielder Harry Winks.
If KELECHI IHEANACHO departs - Nottingham Forest, Everton, Besiktas have all been linked – then another striker is going to be needed to compete with 36-year-old Jamie Vardy and Zambian international Patson Daka.
The Foxes are reportedly frontrunners to sign Swansea City hot-shot JOEL PIROE, the Dutchman who has scored 41 Championship goals over the last two seasons.
Montpellier forward STEPHY MAVIDIDI (formerly of Arsenal and Juventus) has also been linked.
Once the above business is concluded, it could well pave the way for Hirst to return to Portman Road.
SWANS WASTE NO TIME
It’s being reported that Swansea will move quickly to replace Piroe – who could net them as much as £12m - by signing JERRY YATES from Blackpool.
The 26-year-old scored 15 goals for a struggling Tangerines side last season and is now entering the final year of his contract.
He’s been linked to Ipswich this summer.
The Welsh club have already signed one striker this summer in the form of Josh Ginnelly from Hearts (free).
LEEDS AWAIT EXODUS
It’s widely-anticipated that there will be a mass exodus of players at Elland Road following relegation from the Premier League.
Forward trio RODRIGO, PATRICK BAMFORD and WILFRIED GNONTO have all been linked with moves away, with the latter reportedly close to an £18.75m switch to Everton.
It's been said that new Whites boss Daniel Farke will look to South America and Europe for a new striker, with RB Leipzig forward YUSSUF POULSEN reportedly a potential target.
SAM SURRIDGE – who helped fire Nottingham Forest to Championship promotion before finding Premier League minutes hard to come by – has also been linked.
Surridge is a player understood to be under consideration for Ipswich.
SAINTS NEED A STRIKER?
CHE ADAMS was the main man up front for Southampton as they finished bottom of the Premier League. Will the 26-year-old stay? He’s been linked to Premier League trio Nottingham Forest, Everton and Burnley over recent weeks.
ADAM ARMSTRONG, who has struggled to make a mark at St Mary’s following a £15m switch from Blackburn in 2021, says he wants to stay and fight for a place. Ipswich could make a move if he becomes available.
The anticipated big-money sales of England internationals James Ward-Prowse and Kyle Walker-Peters will boost the transfer kitty of new boss Russell Martin.
SUNDERLAND’S SEARCH
The Black Cats’ star striker, Ross Stewart, has been sidelined a with a serious Achilles injury since January and may take a while to get up to speed this season.
Deep-lying forward AMAD DIALLO is back at parent club Manchester United after a 13-goal season, while Joseph Gelhardt’s Leeds loan has expired.
That leaves Tony Mowbray with one recognised front man in the form of new signing Luís Hemir Semedo. A six-figure fee was paid to land the highly-rated 19-year-old from Benfica.
How much money the North East club have to spend on another striker could depend on whether influential winger JACK CLARKE is sold. There have been reports that Burnley are set to make a £20m move.
Sunderland have been linked with a £3m move for Everton striker TOM CANNON, the 20-year-old having scored eight goals on loan at Preston last season.
It’s not impossible that Diallo returns to the Stadium of Light.
“If we do sign the players we're looking to recruit I'll be happy because they look like good footballers,” said Mowbray.
BOOTS TO FILL AT BLACKBURN
Ben Brereton Diaz scored 36 goals in the Championship over the last two seasons. He’s signed for Villarreal after coming to the end of his contract.
Rovers have replaced him with a Bosman free transfer of their own, snapping up Niall Ennis from Plymouth, but will be looking for further forward reinforcements.
Boss Jon Dahl Tomasson said: “We lost 23 goals with Brereton Diaz and (Bradley) Dack (released). They were two players who were high earners in the budget so I expect (to sign) players that have a proven record of scoring. We need goals. They cost money so maybe you then need to loan those players.”
BORO TO KEEP AKPOM?
The big question on Teeside is whether 28-goal striker CHUBA AKPOM will stay. He’s hinted he wants to remain part of Michael Carrick’s project, but is now in the final year of his contract. French clubs Lille and Lens have been linked.
CAMERON ARCHER, who scored 11 goals in the second half of season, is back at parent club Aston Villa.
Boro have signed attackers Morgan Rogers, Alex Gilbert and Sam Silvera this summer, but none of them are strikers.
They are another club Ipswich could yet be vying with for strikers this summer. Kieran McKenna and Carrick, former colleagues at Manchester United, share footballing principles.
THE HORNETS’ HUNT
The Hornets have sold 11-goal star man Joao Pedro to Brighton for £30m and seen seven-goal loanee striker KEINAN DAVIS return to parent club Aston Villa.
BRITT ASSOMBALONGA was released (and reportedly wants to stay in the Championship), while ISMAILA SARR has been linked to AC Milan, West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen.
New boss Valérien Ismaël has signed Rhys Healey on a free transfer, after his prolific form at French club Toulouse, and Tom Ince, after his release by Reading, but is likely to want further forward reinforcements.
Former Leicester man ISLAM SLIMANI, currently at Anderlecht, has been linked.
BAGGIES TO BUY?
West Brom striker Daryl Dike is set to be out until at least September with an Achilles injury, big money flop Kenneth Zohore is set to depart, while KARLAN GRANT has been linked with Rangers.
Should the latter go, Baggies boss Carlos Corberán would be another Championship manager looking for a striker.
The £7m sale of defender Dara O'Shea to Burnley has provided funds.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here