Kieran McKenna could work his magic with Rangers player that Ipswich Town can sign on a free transfer this summer: View | OneFootball

Whether Ipswich Town win promotion to the Premier League this season or not, it’s clear they are a club on the rise under the guidance of Kieran McKenna.

Kieran McKenna transforms Ipswich Town

The former Manchester United coach was handed his first head coach role at Portman Road in 2021, inheriting a Tractor Boys squad that seemed stuck in League One.

However, McKenna’s ability to improve players has been central to their revival as a club, with Ipswich winning promotion from the third tier in his first full season in charge.

They’ve followed that up with another excellent campaign, as they sit potentially three games away from the Premier League.

Ipswich Town’s summer plans

So, the club is back on the map, but McKenna will be aware that they need to keep strengthening the group if they are to progress.

Of course, the recruitment team will be working on two potential lists of targets ahead of the summer window as they wait to see what league they’re in.

But, one man who could be on their radar in either division is Rangers midfielder John Lundstram.

The 30-year-old is out of contract at Ibrox in the summer, and whilst there have been talks over an extension, he is yet to put pen to paper.

Playing for either of the big two in Glasgow can be demanding, and Lundstram is once again involved in a tense title race. If Rangers fall short, they may not be in a position financially to make the player an offer he wants, and he may feel it’s time for a fresh challenge, and a return to English football.

John Lundstram could thrive under Kieran McKenna

Crucially, Lundstram could be exactly what Ipswich need in the middle of the park, as he seems ideally suited to what McKenna demands.

We know that Ipswich play a 4-2-3-1 formation, and the two defensive midfielders are required to do a lot of work defensively, which is Lundstram’s game.

He can cover the ground quickly, he will put his foot in, and when he’s at his best, he plays with a real intensity on and off the ball, which is how Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo operate for the Suffolk side.

Morsy has had a good career in the Football League, but he has undoubtedly played his best football under McKenna, with the Egyptian an inspirational leader for the Tractor Boys.

Meanwhile, Luongo’s career was going nowhere. He had been with Middlesbrough but not played in the 22/23 season before he was released and then joined Ipswich on an initial six-month deal. So, for him to be playing a starring role in their promotion push to the Premier League is quite a turnaround.

With respect to the duo, Lundstram would arrive with much more pedigree.

He has won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, and he was integral as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side reached the Europa League final, where he excelled in wins against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, among others.

So, he would provide welcome competition for the pair in midfield, and his top level know-how would bring another dimension to this Ipswich side.

Furthermore, if Ipswich are a Premier League side, he would be one of few in the squad that knows what it’s like to play in the top-flight, having featured for Sheffield United in the past.

From Lundstram’s perspective, he will also recognise how McKenna has developed Luongo and Morsy as players, and, even at 30, he will see that he can continue to learn and improve.

It promises to be an exciting summer for Ipswich as they continue their journey under McKenna, and if they could bring in Lundstram on a free transfer, it would be a shrewd bit of business.