Town have announced that they will be taking a “a new data and statistics-led approach to recruitment” next season with adding creative players to the s the main priority.
The summer is expected to see significant changes of personnel at Portman Road with 26 players, many of them senior pros, out of contract.
"We are investing more into the recruitment area of the club because it’s clearly a vital component of any football club,” general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill told the club site.
"We have looked at what clubs like Leicester and Brentford have done for a few years and Rangers over the last year or so as well, with some of the Liverpool staff going up there.
"A lot of the bigger clubs are using data and statistics as a big part of their recruitment. The days of just going off someone’s opinion are going.
"It’s about identifying a player and breaking down the analysis to find out how you get the best out of that player and whether he will fit into the way you want to play. We will be doing a lot more profiling on players than we have ever done before.
"It will mean a lot of investment into the recruitment area of the club for sure. We were going to implement the new structure before this season started but Covid put everything on hold. We are moving forward now though.
"The manager will obviously be part of the recruitment process and improving our goals return at the top end of the pitch is clearly going to be a key area for us.
"That’s not just about the strikers. If you look at James Norwood’s stats, he’s right up there in terms of around the 18-yard box but when you look at Charlie Wyke at Sunderland, he’s got 25 goals or so but he’s had Aiden McGeady playing behind him with 12 assists.
"That’s what we’ve been missing and finding that creative element will be one of our big priorities.”