Ipswich Town face Burnley threat in Jens Cajuste transfer race | OneFootball

The Clarets look to stand in the way of Ipswich's pursuit of their 2024/25 loan star.

Another block in the road has been laid out in Ipswich Town's attempts to bring Jens Cajuste back to the club, as Burnley have joined the race to sign the Napoli midfielder.

Sacha Tavolieri on X has reported that Scott Parker's Clarets have made inquiries and are showing a genuine interest in signing the 25-year-old.

Cajuste spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Ipswich, and if Kieran McKenna's side had avoided relegation from the Premier League, they'd have been obliged to buy the Swede for €12 million/£10.4m.

However, the Tractor Boys were unable to survive in the top flight, and it seems that Burnley are interested in ensuring that he remains in the Premier League in the upcoming campaign.

Burney registers interest in Jens Cajuste

It has been reported by journalist Sacha Tavolieri on Friday that Burnley's interest in Cajuste is "concrete," as Scott Parker likes his profile.

The 25-year-old was one of Ipswich's most consistent performers in what was otherwise a bad season in their return to the Premier League, starting 25 times, adding one goal and one assist.

Cajuste doesn't appear to be in Napoli manager Antonio Conte's plans for the upcoming season, and the likelihood that he will be making a third move in as many years is incredibly high, as Beşiktaş were close to agreeing a deal with the Italian giants for the Swedish international.

Ipswich re-registered their interest in Cajuste, causing that move to stall, but it seems like the Tractor Boys don't just have the 16-time Turkish champions to contend with if they want to secure his signature permanently.

If the 25-year-old wants to continue his career in the English top-flight, it seems that Burnley are willing to offer him the chance to do so, and if their interest is as legit as the reports say, then Ipswich may be powerless in their attempts to bring him back to Portman Road.

Ipswich Town will be frustrated to miss out on Jens Cajuste

Not many Ipswich players painted themselves in glory last season in the Premier League, as Kieran McKenna's side eventually finished 16 points behind Tottenham Hotspur, who finished 17th.

However, Cajuste showed at times why Napoli parted with €12 million to bring him in from Stade Reims in 2023.

Ultimately, you couldn't blame the Swede for choosing Burnley if the move went through, as it gives him the chance to once again prove himself in the Premier League. But with the Clarets set to battle relegation once more in 2025/26, perhaps a drop down to the Championship wouldn't be as unappealing as many think.

If the 25-year-old were to continue his career in the second tier this upcoming term, then he'd instantly be one of the more dominant midfielders in the league, playing for a side expected to be on top in the majority, if not all, of the games they play.

Then, he'd be able to once again play Premier League football if Ipswich were to be promoted, and he'd be doing so with the momentum of a year in the Championship on his back.

However, it doesn't look too likely, and it'll be interesting to see how long Ipswich holds out for Cajuste for, before they turn to other options to partner Azor Matusiwa in the middle of the park.