Ipswich Town must launch offer to sign ex-Burnley star ASAP | OneFootball

Ipswich Town should make a move for former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill, who has recently departed Turf Moor at the end of his contract.

Ipswich Town are preparing for a Championship campaign in which they will be widely viewed as one of the pre-season title favourites, with the Tractor Boys seeking to immediately bounce back to the Premier League.

They have experienced a reasonably quiet summer transfer window with what is already a strong squad that perhaps only needs a few finishing touches to ensure it once again pushes for promotion under the management of Kieran McKenna.

Ipswich did recently reportedly agree a fee with Middlesbrough to sign midfielder Hayden Hackney, but the England youth international has since apparently turned down a move to Portman Road.

Following the departure of experienced captain Samy Morsy to Kuwait SC, Ipswich will be on the lookout for another midfielder, even after the impending return of Jens Cajuste from Napoli.

An all-action midfielder, Ipswich will be keen to find someone of the profile of Hackney and former Burnley captain, Josh Brownhill, who they have already been linked with this summer, should absolutely be at the top of their summer wish-list.

Ipswich should target Josh Brownhill

Recently, Burnley captain Josh Brownhill announced that he would be departing Turf Moor at the end of his contract this summer, leaving the 29-year-old midfielder as a free agent with a few weeks of the window to go.

Brownhill has proven himself to be an immense midfielder for the second-tier, with his all-action, box-to-box energy providing Burnley with the heartbeat of their two promotion-winning campaigns in the last three Championship seasons.

Always having been a threat in the final third, Brownhill took that to a new level for Scott Parker’s side last season, notching 18 goals in 42 appearances in the second-tier.

Hackney is someone of a similar profile to Brownhill, albeit much younger, and someone who is expected to go on and have an excellent career in the Premier League.

Slightly more defensive, or at least more used to a slightly deeper role, Hackney still has some things to develop, whereas Brownhill, albeit with a lower ceiling, could be described as a more rounded player for the here and now.

With Cajuste set to return, as well as Cameron Humphreys and Jack Taylor still at the club, Town can afford to pursue someone capable of playing a different role to the more common and natural deep-lying midfielder.

Brownhill not only fulfils that profile, but the former Preston North End and Bristol City man would, if tempted by a move down to Suffolk, would arrive at Ipswich as one of the best midfielder in the division, and extremely well suited to the intensity of a McKenna style of football.

Ipswich in a strong position and can focus on attack

The arrival of Brownhill would not only compliment what Ipswich would already have, but could also then allow them to pour the funds they have and had into other areas of the pitch.

The very high fee for Hackney could be used to find a player to replace Liam Delap up-front because, whilst they have a lot of talent and pedigree across the pitch and particularly in attack, another out and out focal point would seemingly go down very well for Town supporters, and be required for their forward line.

The midfield already appears to be well stocked with Taylor, Humphreys, potentially Cajuste as well as Azor Matusiwa, who has recently joined, and Brownhill would help raise the level and experience even further, whilst also being cost-effective.

Hackney is definitely a player that would raise the ceiling of Ipswich’s potential, but it could also be a deal, or someone of that level at least, revisited once they have their Premier League status again next summer, and Brownhill would ensure that that is much more likely than not.