"I don’t see the point" - Pundit reacts as Ipswich Town plot move for Cardiff City star Rubin Colwill | OneFootball

The pundit gives his opinion on reports linking the 22-year-old with a move to Portman Road this summer

Former Sheffield Wednesday man Carlton Palmer believes reported Ipswich Town target Rubin Colwill should stay at Cardiff City for the benefit of his career.

Talking exclusively to FLW, the 58-year-old believes the 22-year-old will struggle for game time with the newly-promoted Tractor Boys, and sticking with the Welsh side will help him develop in the years to come.

The Suffolk side’s interest in the attacking midfielder was revealed earlier this week, as journalist Darren Witcoop revealed there were a number of top flight sides interested in the Welsh International, although the Bluebirds want to keep hold of him past the summer.

City boss Erol Bulut also confirmed a number of top clubs were tracking the Cardiff academy graduate last month, with the playmaker having played over 100 games for his boyhood club.

Carlton Palmer urges Rubin Colwill to stay put at Cardiff City amid Ipswich Town interest

After making his debut for the club as an 18-year-old in February 2021, Colwill has gone on to become a player tipped for the top after his promising displays for the Welsh side over the past four seasons.

Having made his international bow at the age of 19, Colwill has a wealth of experience at such a young age, although manager Bulut was reluctant to utilise him from the start all that often.

With the 22-year-old still seemingly learning his trade, former England international Palmer believes staying with his boyhood club would help him in the longer-term, rather than a move to the recently promoted East Anglian outfit.

Speaking exclusively to FLW, Palmer said: “The expectation is that Colwill will stay where he is for now, the attacking midfield player didn’t have the most productive of campaigns last time, only providing three combined goals and assists in 36 league appearances.

“But that can be caveated because he only started 14 of those matches, and played an average of 45 minutes per game.

“He is a talented player, and Cardiff will be aiming to hold on to him, and for the player himself there is no point going to Ipswich Town where you’re not going to play.

“They’ve just been promoted to the Premier League, and you’ll just become part of their squad, so it’s better to stay and continue his education at Cardiff City.”

Colwill found the net within 19 minutes of his first start of the previous campaign, as he grabbed the opener in a 2-2 draw with Colchester United in the EFL Cup, before repeating the trick against Birmingham City in the next round.

The crowning moment of his campaign was the match-settler in the hotly-contested affair against Bristol City, as he made the points safe in the final minutes with the second in a 2-0 victory over the Robins, and adding to his burgeoning reputation as he did so.

The underlying numbers behind Rubin Colwill’s 23/24 Cardiff City campaign

With 3.28 progressive carries per 90 minutes last season, the 22-year-old’s ball-carrying ability rivals that of chief slalomer Josh Bowler (3.48), while his progressive passing metric (4.29 per 90) also has him right near the top of the board compared to his teammates.

The young star is never afraid to try his luck either, with only teenage talent Cian Ashford averaging more than his 2.26 shots per match in the previous campaign, while only the crocked Aaron Ramsey could top his 3.73 shot-creating actions in each game played.

Those sorts of talents are what are going to take the Welshman right to the top, but at this moment in time, Palmer believes keeping hold of Colwill rather than cashing in this summer.

With a contract with the Welsh-capital side that runs until the summer of 2027, the Bluebirds will be in no rush to offload their top talent during the off-season, and they will know they hold all the cards regarding any potential transfer deal in the future.

Palmer continued: “I don’t believe that Cardiff City will sell him, unless they do a deal where they buy him and loan him back to Cardiff, but I don’t see the point in that for Ipswich Town at this present moment in time.

“What is he worth? You would think he would be worth about four or five million at this stage, but as I said, the reports coming out of Cardiff is that Rubin Colwill is set to stay where he is for now.”