Ipswich Town have been promoted to the Premier League, so will need to make smart transfers that utilise the influx of cash and help them survive.
Despite the golden hour, Kieran McKenna will want to make smart transfers that don’t financially de-stabilise the club if they end up being relegated back to the Championship next campaign. The manager is rumoured to be leaving the club, but nevertheless, the squad will need upgrades to be able to compete in England’s top-flight.
Here are 5 free agents they can target for the 24/25 season…
| Free Agents | Current Club |
|---|---|
| Anwar El-Ghazi | Free Agent since November 2023 |
| Mohamed Elneny | Arsenal |
| Koen Casteels | Wolfsburg |
| Marius Wolf | Borussia Dortmund |
| Wissam Ben Yedder | AS Monaco |
5Anwar El-Ghazi
At just 29 years old, former Aston Villa, Everton and PSV Eindhoven winger Anwar El-Ghazi still has a lot to give. Unfortunately, his career has been stunted by issues off-the-field, engaging in a conflict with his latest club, Mainz.
He hasn’t played a minute of professional football since, but has had heaps of experience and success in the Premier League.
During his time at Aston Villa, the Egyptian forward scored 26 times and accumulated 16 assists in 119 appearances across three-and-a-half years. He still has qualities that could be valuable for The Blues, best shown in his time at Villa Park.
El-Ghazi would fit into the high build-up style of football played by Kieran McKenna, being great in the pockets of space Ipswich like to feed the ball into, along with liking to cut inside and complete layoffs to supporting midfielders.
4Mohamed Elneny
Fellow Egyptian Mohamed Elneny has had his fair share of injury problems for Arsenal this season, rarely featuring under Mikel Arteta. He signed an extension in February 2023 but hasn’t really earned another for the elite Premier League club since then.
In joining Ipswich, he would join compatriot Sam Morsy and add real quality in the defensive midfield position, not to mention nine years of top-level football experience.
He’s a strong passer of the ball and likes to shoot from distance, which would add another dimension to Town’s midfield.
3Koen Casteels
The goalkeeping position in the Premier League is one of the hardest to get right. We’ve seen teams come up to the first division who have suffered from their choice between the sticks, namely Wes Foderingham for Sheffield United this season.
31-year-old Koen Casteels has been a solid Bundesliga keeper for the whole of his club career, joining Wolfsburg from Werder Bremen for the 2015/16 season. He can be best described as a sweeper keeper who loves long passing, but has been set back with one of Wolfsburg’s poorer seasons in recent memory.
A new challenge in the Premier League is exactly what Casteels should be looking for and if Ipswich want that high-level consistency, he could be their man. He has been linked with Celtic in recent times to replace Joe Hart, but surely a chance to play under McKenna in the Premier League could tempt him.
2Marius Wolf
Released by Borussia Dortmund after impressive longevity in the Bundesliga spanning back to 16/17, Marius Wolf has been a consistent starter, certainly for the last four seasons or so. For a right-back, he has exceptional speed and pace, making him an ideal candidate for McKenna’s shifting formation in which his full-backs become supporting wingers.
He would be an ideal signing for a frequently rotated area, with the right full-back position being split between Axel Tuanzebe, Brandon Williams, and Harry Clarke. With Williams due to return to his parent club Manchester United, they may need to pad their squad.
The German is still just 28 years old and has a footballing CV that makes him underrated and undervalued, so the Tractor Boys could bag a real bargain to be with them for a number of seasons.
1Wissam Ben Yedder
This pick may be a tad ambitious, but there is no ounce of doubt that Wissam Ben Yedder would be an excellent signing. He’s had a fantastic career in Ligue 1 with Toulouse and AS Monaco and in La Liga with Sevilla, scoring 199 goals and tallying 65 assists.
He’s done it in two of Europe’s better leagues, but surely the chance of playing in the Premier League is an attractive idea. The reality of the Premier League is harsh, and the cold truth is that they may need someone of Ben Yedder’s calibre to keep them fighting for survival.
His contract expires on 30 June 2024, with L’Equipe having reported in January that he would likely leave Monaco after that date.
| Wissam Ben Yedder Career Stats via Transfermarkt | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monaco | 201 | 118 | 34 |
| Toulouse | 174 | 71 | 22 |
| Sevilla FC | 138 | 70 | 22 |
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