Everton defender Luke Garbutt is open to making his loan move to Ipswich Town permanent in the summer as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
The attacking left-back signed for the Tractor Boys on a season-long loan in the summer and he’s impressing at the League One outfit, having scored three goals in five league outings.
With his contract at Goodison Park set to expire next summer, Garbutt has been speaking to the Echo about his future ahead of Town’s clash with Accrington Stanley on Sunday and revealed he ‘s pleased with life in East Anglia and open to extending his stay in the summer. He said: ‘I’ve really enjoyed my time here, I’ve settled in well into the group and the fans are brilliant. Playing in front of 20,000 is what I want to be doing.’
‘So as long as we keep playing well and doing well as a squad, I don’t see why I wouldn’t stay permanently. I’m settled and enjoying my football.’
However, the twenty-six-year-old went on to add that he’s putting all thoughts over his future to one side to focus on his main priority of helping Ipswich Town back into the Championship, where he felt the club belonged. ‘I think I’ll leave that side of it to my agent and the powers that be at this football club because at the moment I’m just focussing on my football and trying to perform to the best I possibly can do,’ he added.
‘This club should be a Championship club at a minimum.’
‘It’s a bit of a travesty that we were relegated last year, but the lads have taken on board exactly what the manager wanted, right back to pre-season and we’ve kicked on massively.’
‘We’ve bucked the losing trend, and now we’re on a winning one.’
Paul Lambert’s side have won eight of their first eleven league games, and are yet to lose a league match following last season’s relegation to the third tier. They currently sit four points clear of second-placed Wycombe Wanderers, and Garbutt has been a key figure in their success, despite a knee injury ruling him out for a month.
Ipswich are the sixth club the versatile defender has spent time on loan with during his Everton career, and after a decent spell at Oxford United last season, he’s now clearly enjoying life in at Portman Road.
Our View
It has just not worked out for Garbutt at Everton and with his contract up next summer, it finally looks like he will leave Goodison.
Ipswich fans will be delighted if stays at Portman Road, his attacking runs have made him a firm favourite and if their present form is anything to go by, come the summer the Tractor Boys may well be able to offer him Championship football.
If that is the case, a permanent deal may well be too good for Garbutt to turn down.
