How Newcastle United have reacted to Ipswich Town's Lewis Miley transfer offer | OneFootball

Ipswich put in a season-long loan offer for the 19-year-old.

Ipswich Town have had a bid rejected for Newcastle United midfielder Lewis Miley.

The centre of the park was an area that Kieran McKenna's side had to address this summer. Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo, Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste all left the club in the summer. The last of those four has since returned to Portman Road on another loan deal from Napoli, but there is certainly still some holes to be plugged.

Another summer signing, Azor Matusiwa, has partnered Jack Taylor in Ipswich's opening two contests of the new Championship campaign.

Cajuste made his second debut for the club against Southampton on Sunday when he replaced Taylor, and Cameron Humphreys - who was loaned out to League One's Wycombe Wanderers last season - played the final 10 minutes in place of Matusiwa.

Ipswich Town loan bid for Lewis Miley rejected by Newcastle United

To upgrade in this position, Ipswich have searched again in the loan market for some options. According to Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett, they put in an offer for Newcastle central midfielder Miley, but this proposal was turned down by their old top-flight foe.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Birmingham City v Newcastle United - St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 8, 2025 Newcastle United's Lewis Miley in action with Birmingham City's Kieran Dowell REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

A product of the Tyneside club's academy system, Miley became a mainstay in Eddie Howe's starting 11 just two seasons ago as a 17-year-old. The now 19-year-old has struggled with injuries since then, but he remains a part of the boss' plans, and so Newcastle have no plans to let him leave on loan this season.

Ipswich's interest in the teenager was first reported by the Daily Mail, who also claim that AFC Bournemouth duo Philip Billing and Lewis Cook are on the Tractor Boys' list of centre-midfield transfer options.

Football League World revealed that Town have been plotting a second move of the summer for Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney, after he turned down the opportunity to link up with McKenna. West Ham United are also said to be in the race for the Boro academy product, as per FLW's sister publication, GIVEMESPORT.

Ipswich Town pushed their luck with Lewis Miley approach

Miley would have been a fantastic option for Ipswich, but it's a deal that felt unlikely from the get-go.

The Newcastle youngster has featured too many times for Howe to suddenly decide that, amid a really poor summer of recruiting for the Magpies, now was the time to let the teenager get some more minutes elsewhere.

Ipswich should have a decent bit of money to spend on targets across the pitch, including in the middle of it.

The sales of Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson, plus the parachute payments they will be receiving, should, in theory, allow Town to go after their high-priority targets, like Miley. In this instance, they were just a little too ambitious.