What could happen at Ipswich Town on transfer deadline day 2026?

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0:40Mark Heath:hello friends it's transfer deadline day in Ipswich town already a record-breaking extraordinary summer I'm calling it the construction man summer here to break it down in a very quick 10 minute preview for you with Stuart Watson he's been busy working the phones as you may expect already this morning and writing stories Stu you've done a bit this morning deadline day preview in which you said there's no exaggeration to say it feels make or break whether or not they get a striker because clearly that's the one piece of the puzzle that is still missing um and that's going to be the main narrative the main headline in terms of today just want to bring us up to speed in is as to where we stand with the hunt for a striker yeah

1:18Stuart Watson:there's uh potential for a busy transfer deadline day it's which gone are the days where quiet Deadline day expected is the headline going into these. Could be two in, four out roughly. But the main thing, as you quite rightly say, is whether Ipswich are going to land a number nine, an experienced one, to really help at the top end of the pitch. Club record signing Emerson has been described as a project by Gary O 'Neill, Tuba Akpom. Bit of a surprise return to the fold or the forefront. this summer after a limited impact in the championship. I don't think anyone feels that Ipswich have got enough up top at the moment.

2:03Stuart Watson:They want a striker and there have been several plates spinning heading towards this deadline day. One of those has dropped. Tammy Abraham was a story we broke last Thursday. Their loan deal agreed with Aston Villa for the former England international. He came on last night for them in a defeat to Arsenal. And Unai Emery afterwards has confirmed that he's basically rejected Ipswich and chosen to stay and fight for minutes there. So Ipswich hadn't, as you said, put all their eggs in that basket. Other deals were quietly being kept alive in the background. One of those is Zian Fleming of Burnley.

2:51Stuart Watson:And that is looking the most likely direction of travel at the moment in terms of Ipswich adding a striker.

2:58Mark Heath:OK, and clearly there would be a question mark as to, well, you know, Tuba, yes, he's back in the fold, but you'd say he's not started, he's not set the world on fire to begin with. And I've seen chats around, could they bring in two strikers today? Could they maybe move Tuba out and bring another striker in? What's your understanding on that front, Stu?

3:18Stuart Watson:my understanding is that that won't be the case, that we're at a stage where Ipswich have spent close to£170 million on transfers this summer. You hear Chairman Mark Ashton has repeatedly said that the owners have urged him to push right to the edge of financial fair play rules or SCR as it is now. We're getting towards that stage. So in terms of a striker, it will be one, certainly of the calibre that we're talking about. There was never a world where Ipswich were going to be able to sign Tammy Abrahams and Zian Fleming, for example. So never say never. I'm always reluctant to completely rule things out because mad things happen on transfer deadline days.

4:05Stuart Watson:But no, very much expecting it to be one striker, the Ipswich signed today. And as I say, it's looking at the moment like it's trending towards Zian Fleming. I understand the Dutchman is very much keen on coming to Ipswich Town. Lille, French club, were in for him, but they've, I think, maybe bulked the financing involved in it. Fleming wants to test himself back in the Premier League again. He scored 11 goals in the top flight for a Burnley side that got relegated last year. He's Dutch and Ipswich have got a fondness for Dutchman. He'd be joining, obviously, countrymen Azor Matasiwa and Keel Sherpen in the squad.

4:45Stuart Watson:A bit of versatility to him. Ipswich fans might remember him from his Millwall days in the Championship. He can play a little bit deeper as well as a number nine. Still waiting to see what that fee is. I don't think a deal has been agreed yet. I've seen talk of£17 million being the figure. I'm not sure Ipswich have pushed anywhere near that at the moment, but that may be where it lands eventually. So, yeah, be working the phones to see how that progresses over the next few hours.

5:12Mark Heath:Yeah, so Stryker, very much clearly, the key capture on this deadline day. That's what they want to get done as a priority. Any other in, Stu? Can you see anyone else? You said maybe two in. Where would that be, do you reckon?

5:22Stuart Watson:Yeah, I think the other one will be in defence. Gary O 'Neill said 10 days or so ago when he was asked, is Stryker the priority? And he said, no, I wouldn't go that far. We're still looking to strengthen at top, middle and back of the team. Ezekiel Palacios subsequently arrived from Bayer Leverkusen. So that's the midfielder tick. Striker we've just discussed. So it doesn't take much to work out that the other position is in defence. My understanding is it's a centre-back that could be added. And I stress the word could. There's no guarantee that Ipswich will add one of those today. I think it will need to be the right player at the right price for Ipswich Town to do a deal.

6:11Stuart Watson:I know there's been a lot of talk about fullback I haven't heard any rumblings or whispers or suggestion that that is an area that Ipswich are looking at Abdul Wattara is obviously ultra versatile someone who can play both fullback positions so I know people have raised that Leif Davis is the only out and out left back in the squad Daro Shea is kind of semi out of position right back at the moment but there's a limit to what Ipswich can do Let's not forget that they have spent a lot of money on people like a World Cup winner in Palacios. And they're now trying to do something on the striker front and plenty of others.

6:47So there's potential for another centre half.

6:52Stuart Watson:And I think that will be it. And it is just potential for a centre half. I haven't got any names to give you at this moment in time. So make of that what you will. I know people have, you know, it's always you get one in, next one comes in. what next? What else can we get? It's a pretty bloated squad at the moment. And then it's going to be as much about trimming today as it is about bringing players in.

7:15Mark Heath:Well, that's the perfect segue then, Stu. In's obviously also mean outs. As you say, you need to get some people moved out. You've done a few stories already this morning about potential exits. So who do we think may be moving on today in terms of leaving Portman Road?

7:29Stuart Watson:Yeah, just to set the scene, it's a 29-man first team squad at the moment. You can strip two of them out effectively because they don't count as senior players in Sindrei Valat-Agelli and Abdul-Wattar are both 20 years of age. So you don't have to worry about them in terms of registrations. Just discussed potentially two more for Ipswich, certainly one in the striker department, maybe a centre-half. So that all kind of works out at Ipswich needing to cut four players from the squad. to stay within the 25-man senior squad rules. We know who a few of those are going to be already. Chiaro Benne, understand he's going to be joining newly promoted championship club Lincoln City on loan.

8:18Stuart Watson:Obviously, injuries have hampered his time at Ipswich so far. Cameron Humphries heading back to Huddersfield on loan in League One. Interesting that that's a loan rather than a permanent and that he's going to League One rather than championship. but obviously a club he was at in the second half of last season. And Tudor Mendel, exciting young winger coming through from the academy, lit it up for the under-21s last season, had a really good pre-season, made his senior debut off the bench against Leicester in the Carabao Cup, recently signed a new contract. He's going out on loan to Luton in League One to continue his development under Jack Wilshere.

8:57Stuart Watson:so obviously that doesn't affect the squad's numbers because of his age but another one that's going to be going out on loan potential other exits and haven't got anything firm on these at the moment but Alex Palmer there's been a lot of talk about him all summer third choice goalkeeper now West Brom, Blackburn, Millwall all linked with him in recent days Anis Mometti who's finding plenty of traffic in his way at the top end of the pitch Wrexham and Birmingham linked with him, but the talk is that he wants to stay and fight for Premier League minutes. Ipswich, Jack Taylor pushed down the midfield pecking order.

9:33Stuart Watson:Birmingham, Derby among those linked with him. His situation is complicated slightly by the fact he's still rehabbing from that knee surgery he underwent at the back end of last season. And another option for Ipswich, if they just want to free up some numbers, is simply not registering veteran goalkeeper David Button for first-team action. You could just keep him as a training goalkeeper, as an experienced option for the under-21s and not register him. So I don't think it will be an issue, Ipswich, getting themselves down to the numbers they require.

10:04Mark Heath:OK, and before we head off to you, you referred to it as make or break that they get a striker today. Clearly, they've had an exceptional summer of business, breaking records, bringing in World Cup winners, World Cup players, players who scored at World Cup, incredible amount of experience and quality. But if they don't get that striker today, how important do you think that is?

10:23Stuart Watson:I think it's very important. I've really, really liked what I've seen of young Emerson so far. You can see why Ipswich have taken a calculated punt on him for a lot of money. But he's got the physical attributes that are required in the Premier League. He's strong. He's quick. He's got a nice touch as well about him. but I just think it's too much to ask him to bear the full burden of responsibility for leading the line week in, week out, scoring the goals. He's obviously come off with an injury at half-time at the weekend as well. We're still waiting to see the extent on that, jarred his knee when landing.

11:01Stuart Watson:And then Tuber Akpom, as much as he's really dedicated himself over the summer, come back chomping at the bit. Gary O 'Neill's liked what he's seen of him in pre-season. And I don't think it's unfair to say that he's a man that you can really hang your hat on at Premier League level at this moment in time. I thought there was a drop off when he replaced Emerson at halftime at Old Trafford on Sunday. So they need another striker. It does feel pretty make or break in terms of kind of what Ipswich can do this season. We've been here before. We've had this conversation so many times in recent years about Ipswich maybe leaving themselves short on the striker front, whether they should have let players go before they brought them in.

11:43Stuart Watson:George Hurst has obviously been allowed to leave for Stoke for what I think everyone accepts was a good fee in six million, potentially rising to 10. Getting these strikers is easier said than done. And Ipswich are operating in rarefied air at the moment. The phrase unicorns is used when I speak to people behind the scenes at Ipswich. Getting Premier League ready strikers is not easy. There's only a few of them around. It's clear that they've kind of worked their way down a list. We've seen certain players link Tammy Abraham, the latest noise around people like De Lapp and Jesus and others earlier in the window.

12:24Stuart Watson:Is Ian Fleming the answer? We'll find out. They've got to sign him yet first. so as ever we shall see it's an interesting day ahead what have we got still got well more than 12 hours to go so anything could happen absolutely anything can happen big day

12:43Mark Heath:exciting day potentially season defining day for it's which town make sure you follow it all with us stew and alex will obviously be keeping their ears pressed to the phones um bringing you the latest as we understand it live logs up and running um so make sure you follow it with us and we'll be back later on once the deadline has passed to break it all down again for you. Let's hope for a big day, shall we, friends, at Lipschurch Town?

13:35Thank you.

14:01Thank you.

14:44Mark Heath:We'll see you next time.

14:57Thank you.