Kieran McKenna's five key players to help Ipswich stay up this season
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna has done an incredible job, taking them from League One to the Championship in consecutive seasons and now has the task of keeping his side in the Premier League.
If he is to manage what seems like an impossible feat, there are five key players who can help the club stay up.
Conor Chaplin
Chaplin is the main man in front of goal as he came out his shell when the side were promoted from League One, earning him a ton of awards including the league’s top scorer.
He was not as prolific in the Championship but finished with 13 goals and 8 assists, making him the player with the most goal involvements at the club.
The promotion to the Premier League would not have been possible without him and staying up certainly won’t be possible without him either.
Leif Davis
Not only is Davis a strong defender who can shrug off any opponent, but he is also the club's best playmaker with him earning a whopping 18 assists last season alone - more than any other player.
The defender also bagged 14 assists in the club's League One promotion, suggesting that without him the side would still be struggling two leagues below.
Davis jumped around a number of clubs including Leeds United and Bournemouth before finding a home at Ipswich and being a key player in leading them to promotion.
Arijanet Muric
Ipswich and Burnley recently did a huge swap of goalkeepers as Vaclav Hladky left the club for Burnley on a free transfer whilst Arijanet Muric left Burnley for Ipswich in a transfer worth around £8m.
The Kosovo international has a strong record of saving penalties and is incredibly comfortable in possession with previous manager Pep Guardiola stating he is “so good with his feet he could play at centre-back".
Muric has some big boots to fill after the departure of Hladky and if he starts the first few games it will include extremely tough opponents in Liverpool and Manchester City. But at 25 he will play a huge role not just in the upcoming season but also in years to come as he grows as a shot-stopper.
Jacob Greaves
After making the switch from Hull City for a huge reported figure of £15m, Greaves will play a major role in keeping the side afloat next season.
Greaves was named in the EFL Championship Team of the Season and collected Hull’s Player of the Season accolade last term due to his impressive performances - which obviously caught the eye of Mckenna.
The centre-back was at the heart of the Tigers' defence and often filled in at right back, so he will be a strong, versatile asset for Ipswich this season.
Liam Delap
Delap is another recent signing for the club after leaving Manchester City for a reported £15m plus £5m in add-ons - which is a fortune for a newly promoted side.
Son of former Premier League legend Rory Delap, who was known for his iconic throw-ins, Delap broke into Man City’s first team in 2020 making two appearances after having previously had loan spells in the Championship with Stoke City and Preston North End.
At just 21 years old, Delap is one for the future with McKenna saying this about the youngster when he signed recently:
“We are delighted to bring Liam to the club. We think he is a player with the qualities to help the team this season but also to be an important player for the club for many years to come.
“He is a player with outstanding physical and technical attributes who has a hunger to come here and continue to learn and improve. He has gained good first-team experience from a young age and we feel he has the potential for development here.”