Forget Liam Delap, Kieran McKenna already has a goalscoring star in his ranks at Ipswich Town for 2025/26.
Ipswich Town faces another season of uncertainty, and their return to the Championship will be a source of joy for fans.
After consecutive promotions from League One to the Premier League, the Tractor Boys’ upward trajectory was halted by relegation from the top tier, and they must now prepare for life back in the EFL. Ipswich fans have the East Anglian derby to look forward to, and with fixture release day only a week away, excitement for the 2025/26 season is growing gradually. However, Kieran McKenna’s top scorer from the previous season, Liam Delap, has joined Chelsea for £30 million. But this should not concern him for one reason.
Sammie Szmodics will be crucial to Ipswich Town in the new season
Sammie Szmodics joined Ipswich from Blackburn Rovers last summer for a deal that BBC Sport speculated might reach £11 million, and he made an immediate impression in the Premier League.
On his Tractor Boys debut, the Republic of Ireland international scored against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, sending the travelling support into ecstasy behind the goal. Szmodics scored three additional Premier League goals, including a magnificent overhead kick against Tottenham Hotspur to seal Ipswich’s first win of the season in November. An ankle injury effectively ended his season early, as he missed 15 of the final 18 games of the season, and he will be ready to go once the summer ends.
Sammie Szmodics’ recent Championship record is excellent
Ipswich fans are looking forward to their Championship return, and Szmodics may be as well given how well he performed in the league last time out. The 29-year-old scored 27 goals in 44 games for Blackburn in his final full season in the second tier, helping Rovers avoid relegation with a last-day double against champions Leicester City. While Szmodics is not a striker, he frequently finds himself in forward areas. He worked exceptionally well with Sam Gallagher at Ewood Park, and he must do it once more with George Hirst. There is no doubt that losing Delap is a major setback for Ipswich. They do, however, have proven quality in their team, and McKenna should be a contender for promotion once more.
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