Ipswich Town are looking to bolster their squad after earning promotion to the Premier League but are also keen to add more quality to the club’s youth ranks, according to the latest reports.
The Belfast Telegraph have revealed that the Tractor Boys are keeping tabs on Northern Irish youngster Sean Brown and will look to make a move for the teenage fullback this summer. Nevertheless, the outlet are also claiming that the Suffolk-based outfit face stiff competition from Championship side Hull City, who are also admirers of the youngster.
The 19-year-old spent the entire 2023/24 campaign in Northern Ireland on loan from Larne, firstly with Bangor FC and later with Ballymena United. Throughout the season at both clubs, he made 39 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and recording four assists.
It was at his second loan stint, with Ballymena, that clubs were left impressed with Brown’s displays. Ipswich may have an advantage given his compatriot Kieran McKenna is the head coach at Portman Road and recently penned a new four-year deal with the newly-promoted top-flight side despite interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Nevertheless, Brown is not the only transfer target for Ipswich Town this summer. It has been reported over the past few weeks that the club are hoping to bring Omari Hutchinson back to East Anglia after a successful loan spell in 2023/24 in which he scored 11 goals and registered six assists in 50 matches before returning to Stamford Bridge.
Furthermore, Armando Broja has sprung onto the club’s radar. Chelsea have reportedly lowered their asking price from £50 million to £30 million for the Albania international and McKenna is keen to secure a double swoop of West London for £50 million for both Hutchinson and Broja.
Writer’s View
While Ipswich Town may be keen to bring Brown to Portman Road, he will certainly be one for the future as the teenager is unlikely to stake a claim for a place in the first-team squad over the next 12 months or so, particularly since the club will be competing in arguably the toughest division in Europe.
Furthermore, Brown has one year remaining on his contract at Larne, meaning Ipswich or Hull will have to offer a transfer fee to the Northern Irish outfit in order to secure his signature, although it’s not yet known what that price will be just yet.
