Ipswich Town goalkeeper Christian Walton is reportedly of interest to Championship club Middlesbrough, according to Football League World.
Middlesbrough is set to lose Man City loanee Zach Steffen when he returns to his parent club at the end of the season, and the Ipswich number one is said to be a potential alternative plan for the Premier League seekers.
Who is Christian Walton?
The 27-year-old joined the Tractor Boys in the Summer of 2021, on a season-long loan deal from Premier League club Brighton. The shot-stopper established himself as the starting keeper early on, with a permanent transfer soon materialising in the January transfer window.
In his two seasons with Ipswich, Walton has kept 35 clean sheets in 77 League One games, while also setting a new club record for the length of time without the team conceding.
What Loss Would This Be For Ipswich?
Currently, in the fight for promotion at the top of League One, the Blues are playing fantastic football so any loss in the squad would be a miss. With the player still under contract till the end of next season, any potential transfer would require a fee for Ipswich to invest elsewhere.
The Tractor Boys are tied first in the league for the goal conceded, as Walton has shown to be an important piece for their impressive defence.
Is Walton Ready For The Step Up?
Before joining up with Ipswich, Walton has seven previous loans before he found a stable place to be number one. In two of those seasons, the Englishmen got to play in the Championship and was far less successful.
While he has now shown to be one of the better keepers in League One, the step up a division or two depending on Middlesbrough’s end to the season could be substantial.
Writer’s View
Both Ipswich and Boro have shown to be two of the most entertaining teams in their respective division, with both managers having history with each other. McKenna and Carrick both want similar attributes with their goalkeeper, so the move for Walton is an easy one to link.
In an ideal world, Ipswich would love to keep Walton at the club with all the success he has achieved there, however, with Middlesbrough potentially playing in the Premier League next season, this might be the move for Walton to get back to where he once was with Brighton.
£20 million. Not a penny less. And if Middlesbrough don’t get promoted and Ipswich do, it won’t be a “step up”.