x

Rhodes Targeting First Team Place - Ipswich Town News

Striker Jordan Rhodes is targeting a place in the Town first team next season. The 19-year-old is currently on a highly successful loan spell at League Two Brentford.

Rhodes told the club site: "There are some top class strikers here, experienced players and the manager and coaching staff felt it would be better for me to go and play first team football lower down than play in the reserves here.

"It's all good experience for me and part of my education in the game and I feel I am learning all the time. You get so much more out of it than reserve team football.

"I'm really enjoying my time at Brentford and feel I'm adding to my game, but I definitely see my future at Ipswich.

"I'm training here two days a week and I know the manager is monitoring my form at Brentford. He said 'Carry on for another two months and carry on scoring goals, then you'll be back here,' but he wanted the 24-hour recall option.

"I have two more years left on my contract here after this season and my aim is to do my best at Brentford and then come back to Portman Road for the end of the season, get a good pre-season in me and then hopefully look to really kick on at the start of next year and push for a place."

The academy product has scored six goals in eight games with the Bees and earlier in the season netted on two occasions in five matches for Rochdale.

Meanwhile, Preston are hopeful that striker Neil Mellor, midfielder Barry Nicholson and defenders Callum Davidson and Andrew Davies, a loanee from Stoke, will all be fit to face the Blues at Deepdale on Saturday.

Mellor and Davidson have been out for some weeks, while Nicholson and Davies sustained knocks in last week's 3-1 defeat at Southampton.

What to read next:

Town Win LMA Performance of the Week Award
Town won the League Managers Association’s Everest Men’s Performance of the Week Award for the 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United last Friday.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Ismael: A Good Challenge to Test Ourselves Against One of the Championship's Top Sides
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael says his team’s next step is to record their first home win of the season when the Blues, who he views as one of the top sides in the Championship, visit Ewood Park on Saturday.
Furlong: The Club's Ambition Was the Main Pull
Town defender Darnell Furlong has outlined his reasons for making the summer switch to the Blues from fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion.
U21s and U18s Both Face League Leaders
Town’s U21s and U18s are both in Saturday action this weekend, at Chelsea and at Arsenal respectively.
Furlong: Just Having Good Players Isn't Enough
Town full-back Darnell Furlong believes the Blues will need more than just a strong squad of players in order to achieve promotion back to the Premier League this season.
[Podcast] Life's a Pitch TV - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Life's a Pitch TV team is now available.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
McKenna: A Different Blackburn Team to the One We Faced Two Years Ago
Town travel to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday aiming to record back-to-back wins for the first time since the end of their 2023/24 Championship promotion season.
McKenna: Matusiwa Making Really Positive Steps
Blues boss Kieran McKenna says summer signing Azor Matusiwa has made positive steps in his first five games in the Championship with Town now very strong in their midfield department.