Ipswich Town to rival Everton in transfer race for Hull City star | OneFootball

Hull's highly-rated defender could be set for a Premier League move this summer.

Hull City defender Jacob Greaves has been made a top target by Premier League newboys Ipswich Town, per Mike McGrath.

The 23-year-old defender has been a key member of the Tigers' squad for the last four seasons, and enjoyed yet another impressive individual campaign in 2023/24.

Greaves is contracted at the MKM Stadium until the summer of 2026, and the club do have the option to extend his deal for a further year too.

The Tigers can fully expect to receive a significant transfer fee should they decide to sell this summer, in what could provide essential funds to a club that does not have the benefit of parachute payments.

Ipswich Town circling Greaves

Revealing via his X account, journalist Mike McGrath has stated that Ipswich Town have made Hull City centre-half Greaves their top target during the summer transfer window.

In his accompanying report via The Telegraph, McGrath states that Tractor Boys manager Kieran McKenna has made Greaves his first-choice target as he looks to strengthen the heart of his defence in preparation for Premier League football.

Fellow Premier League sides Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have previously been credited with tracking the Englishman's progress too, but will face stiff competition from the ambitious Suffolk side.

McGrath reaffirms that the Tigers do wish for Greaves to remain at the MKM Stadium next season, as they do not wish to lose a player who would continue to a play a vital role in Hull's pursuit of Premier League promotion.

It may be in Ipswich's best interests to move quickly with a deal for Greaves, as should Everton sell Jarrad Branthwaite to Manchester United, the Toffees will effectively be able to write a blank cheque to Hull for his signature.

Having made his debut for Hull City - the club he supports - as a teenager back in the 2020/21 League One season, Greaves has gone from strength to strength as both a player, whilst also growing into one the team's real leaders on and off the pitch.

The Tigers have produced multiple elite defenders in recent times, with Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire going on to have long careers at the top of the game, and Greaves could well be the next in line.

Hull aren't currently blessed with depth at the centre-back position, with Alfie Jones and Sean McLoughlin the only other senior options in the squad.

So not only would Greaves' departure leave a significant dent in their strength in depth and would obviously command replacing, losing their star defender would hurt for various other reasons too.

Firstly, he's a left-footed central defender. These rare players are often seen as extremely valuable to managers, as they can open up entirely new passing lanes up the pitch, and offer their side new routes to attack from.

And as previously mentioned, Greaves is an integral part of the dressing room at the club, and whenever a big character leaves it can have a real knock-on effect on the rest of the squad.

Therefore, Hull City fans will be desperate to see their club hold on to Greaves this summer, even if it would mean a sizeable boost to their transfer coffers.

But with owner Acun Ilicali admitting that FFP restrictions mean the club will only be able to spend £14m this summer, the ambitious owner may well see the sale of Greaves as too big of an opportunity to raise extra funds.