Kayden Jackson and Jon Nolan have been exiled from the Ipswich Town first-team squad in recent weeks, we understand. Andy Warren and Stuart Watson report.
The pair, who cost a combined £3million when signed by Paul Hurst in the summer of 2018, have been regulars during Paul Lambert’s Ipswich tenure but are understood to have been training with the Under 23s following a series of disagreements.
Neither have played for the first-team since the defeat by Sunderland on January 26.
Jackson’s move away from the first-team followed his red card in the early minutes of the loss to the Black Cats, for a tackle which Lambert described as ‘horrendous’ and earned the striker a three-match ban.
His suspension was up before Saturday’s scheduled trip to Shrewsbury but the striker was not part of the squad before the game was postponed, while he was again left out of the 18 for the goalless draw with Northampton last night.
Nolan hasn’t played for the Blues since starting the game with Sunderland, in which he was replaced after 55 minutes. He was then left out of the 18 for the draw at Crewe, with the midfielder understood to have expressed his frustrations.
They only grew on transfer deadline day, 48 hours after the Crewe draw, when Nolan is understood to have been the subject of notable loan interest from the Championship side Rotherham. It was a move which interested Nolan but was not entertained by the Blues.
Jackson also attracted interest from the Championship on deadline day, with Huddersfield Town making an unsuccessful move for his services. The deal is understood to have been an initial loan move which could eventually have been worth £1million to the Blues, depending on appearances and add-ons.
Neither player has been involved with the first-team since.
The pair have not been training with the rest of Lambert’s squad and are instead understood to have been working with Kieron Dyer and his Under 23 side, who hold their sessions in the afternoons while the first-team train in the mornings, given Covid protocol demand staggered sessions.
Asked about Jackson’s availability ahead of the Northampton game, Town coach Matt Gill simply said: “Kayden’s been working hard, the same as a number of the lads.”
Speaking ahead of the victory over Blackpool on February 6, Gill said of Nolan: “Nolo is fit and obviously up for selection if needed.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for the pair.
Jackson is out of contract this summer but the Blues hold the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months, with that option understood to expire two weeks after the club’s final game of the campaign.
Town had been working to tie the striker, who scored 11 goals and added seven assists last season but has netted just once during the current campaign, to a new deal in recent months but have had little success.
The Blues took an option in Nolan’s deal prior to the start of this season, meaning the midfielder is tied to the club until the summer of 2022.
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