Ipswich Town have submitted a bid to Leicester City for winger Kasey McAteer as they seek to strengthen their attacking options before the close of the transfer window.
The Tractor Boys are pushing to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt and view the 23-year-old as a key target.
Ipswich Town have submitted a bid for #lcfc winger Kasey McAteer. Unclear at this stage whether the offer has been accepted but Ipswich are hopeful of signing the Republic of Ireland international #itfc
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) August 21, 2025
McAteer on Ipswich Radar
According to reports, Ipswich have made a formal offer to Leicester for McAteer, though it remains to be seen if the Foxes will accept. The winger has been linked with Championship rivals in recent months, with Sunderland seeing a bid turned down in January below Leicester’s £8 million valuation.
McAteer forced his way into the Leicester side late last season, scoring his first Premier League goal in a 2-0 victory over Ipswich, and he previously played an important role in their 2023/24 Championship-winning campaign with six goals in 23 appearances. In total, the academy graduate has made 56 senior appearances for Leicester, scoring eight goals.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is keen to add more firepower after watching his side draw their opening three league fixtures and suffer an early Carabao Cup exit against Bromley. With promotion ambitions still high, the East Anglian club want a proven wide option to bolster their squad.
Replacing Omari Hutchinson
The move for McAteer comes after the high-profile sale of Omari Hutchinson to Nottingham Forest in a £37.5 million deal earlier this summer. That departure left Ipswich with funds to reinvest but also created a significant gap in their wide attacking options.
Reports also suggest Ipswich are monitoring 18-year-old Nordsjaelland forward Sindre Walle Egeli, who scored nine times in Denmark’s Superliga last season. However, the expectation is that only one of McAteer or Egeli will be signed before the deadline.
McKenna’s current wide options include Jaden Philogene, Jack Clarke, Sammie Szmodics and Chiedozie Ogbene, while Wes Burns is unavailable through injury. Even with those players in contention, the manager is eager to improve competition and consistency in the final third.
Writer’s View
Ipswich’s bid for McAteer shows clear intent from McKenna and the recruitment team to replace the creativity and directness lost with Hutchinson’s sale. McAteer’s Championship pedigree and Premier League exposure make him an attractive option, while his age means there is further scope for development.
The competition for promotion is already fierce, and Ipswich cannot afford to be short of attacking quality. If they can secure McAteer before the deadline, it would not only address a key area of the squad but also underline their determination to stay firmly in the promotion race.
