Town showing interest in Peterborough midfielder

Taylor, who will turn 24 next month, is one of the London Road side’s prized assets and was a central figure in the Peterborough team which won promotion to the Championship in 2020/21.

He’s continued to play a leading role during Posh’s one season in the second tier, which ended in relegation, with the Blues seeing him as a potential option to add to their squad ahead of their fourth attempt at promotion from League One.

A central midfielder is likely to be on the Blues’ shopping list this summer, given loanee Tyreeq Bakinson ended the campaign in Kieran McKenna’s starting line-up, in the absence of Lee Evans due to injury.

Ipswich Town are showing interest in Peterborough midfielder Jack Taylor (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Town hold the option to buy Bakinson, following his loan, with all parties thought to be considering their options as to where his future lies. Tom Carroll has been released, while Rekeem Harper will return from loan at Crewe to join a midfield unit led by skipper Sam Morsy and including youngsters Cameron Humphreys and Idris El Mizouni.

Taylor, a box-to-box midfielder who has a good all-round game, was bought by Peterborough from Barnet for a fee of £500,000 in January of 2020 and has since played 86 games for the club, scoring 12 goals. That initial fee is likely to have risen towards £1million, given Posh have been promoted in that time and Taylor has also been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

Given the initial outlay and how highly-regarded former Chelsea youth Taylor is at London Road, chairman Darragh MacAnthony is likely to place a significant price tag on one of his key players.

The Irishman has previously suggested he has rejected an offer of close to £2million from an unnamed club for Taylor, back in the summer of 2020. It’s unclear how long remains on his contract, which was only described as ‘long-term’ upon signing in 2020. It’s likely he is contracted until 2024, though, if you include the potential presence of a one-year extension option.

An Ipswich move for Taylor would be an ambitious one, given Peterborough will likely be challenging for promotion themselves next season. But Town’s change in financial circumstances under new ownership, coupled with Peterborough’s relegation and difficulties caused by Covid, mean the midfielder would likely be more attainable than he would have been in previous years.

Taylor, pictured in action against Town (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Discussing Taylor’s game, former Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson said: “He can play in a variety of positions, a variety of formations, has a really good passing range, can score goals from midfield and plays off both feet.

“He has developed over the years, he can sit in midfield or he can play further forward in an attacking role. He can play anywhere in the diamond which was a real attraction.”

Peterborough are understood to have shown early interest in young Ipswich striker Tyreece Simpson, who will likely be sold this summer due to his contract stand-off with the Blues.

Simpson has informed Town he wants to leave, with no deal agreed since he was recalled from a highly-promising loan spell which saw him score 11 goals for Swindon in the first half of their League Two campaign.

The youngster’s contract is up this summer, with Town certain to exercise their extension option to prolong his stay by 12 months and maximise his value.

That raises the potential for a part-exchange move, be it with Peterborough in any move for Taylor or elsewhere.