Ipswich Town join West Ham in transfer battle for Wigan Athletic man | OneFootball

At perhaps the worst possible time, Ipswich Town have hit somewhat of a rough patch heading into 2024 as Southampton are hot on their heels in the Championship promotion race.

The Tractor Boys are winless in four matches going into the start of 2024, and in that time they have faced two of their direct rivals for the top two in the form of Leeds United and Leicester City, picking up just one point and conceding five goals.

And Kieran McKenna was set to be hit massively in January with a number of players potentially heading to the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup, but with Massimo Luongo retiring from international duty and Sam Morsy opting not to play for Egypt, it leaves just Cameron Burgess as the only player set to be heading away with Australia.

Ipswich's priority remains signing a new striker in the January transfer window, and that was even before George Hirst's hamstring injury which is likely going to keep the 24-year-old out for a while, with Birmingham City loanee Jay Stansfield a potential option to be signed.

However, a centre-back is now on Town's radar, and they are looking towards League One for a potential star of the future to bolster their back-line.

Ipswich join West Ham in race for Wigan defender Hughes

According to a report from Alan Nixon via Patreon, Ipswich are now in the race for talented Wigan Athletic centre-half Charlie Hughes.

The 20-year-old, who is Wigan born and bred and joined the club in 2017 following stints with Man City and Liverpool, has been on the rise since his emergence into the Latics first-team in the 2022-23 season, making his league debut on Boxing Day in 2022.

Hughes played 20 times in the Championship last season as Wigan were relegated to League One, and he's already made 22 appearances in League One under Shaun Maloney as he has established himself as a key part of the back-line at the DW Stadium.

West Ham have also been checking out Hughes this season, according to Nixon, but Ipswich will be hoping to steal a march on England under-20 international Hughes, who is under contract at Wigan until the summer of 2028, meaning it will need to be a significant bid for the Greater Manchester outfit to cash in.

Hughes arrival could pave way for Edmundson exit following Portsmouth interest

Ipswich are likely going to have to pay a significant seven-figure fee to land Hughes from Wigan, but his potential arrival could pave the way for George Edmundson to leave the club on a temporary basis.

Portsmouth have this week been linked with Edmundson, who has been out of favour at Portman Road this season after an injury-hit campaign in 2022-23, with a defender very much on the League One table-toppers' radar after a season-ending injury to Regan Poole.

With Burgess heading to Qatar for the Asian Cup, Ipswich would need cover as it would leave McKenna with just Luke Woolfenden and Axel Tuanzebe at centre-back, with the latter's fitness already being monitored after his arrival earlier in the season - Harry Clarke and Janoi Donacien could also potentially play in the middle of the defence though.

Should Ipswich fork out for Hughes though, then they could have a long-term solution at the back as well as their extra option for the month of January, but it would push Edmundson down the pecking order and probably out of the door to Fratton Park.