TWTD understands Championship side Preston North End are keen on signing Town loanee Bersant Celina ahead of 2022/23.
Celina, 25, recently completed his second loan spell at Portman Road, from French side Dijon, making 24 starts and 11 sub appearances, scoring six times, including the Town Goal of the Season against Crewe.
We understand Preston, who finished 13th in the Championship during 2021/22, are interested in taking the Kosovo international to Deepdale over the summer while it seems likely other clubs may join the chase during the close season.
Speaking about Celina in March, Town manager Kieran McKenna said: "He’s certainly a player I really like. I think his qualities fit really well into the football team and as we develop the team I think he can be more important for us going forward.
"Obviously there’s the football side of it and then there’s also the business side of it, and both things have to match up, and the wishes of the players and the wishes of the club on both sides have to match up.
"There are probably a few discussions to be had over the summer and that’s something that other people at the club will handle apart from me, but Bersant’s a player that I really like, that I enjoy having as part of the team and I could certainly see as part of the future of the club.”
Celina, who previously spent 2017/18 on loan at Town from Manchester City, said in the same month that he’d be interested in a return to Portman Road if he was offered the chance, even if the Blues were still in League One.
"I just want this club to get promoted and I’ll come here. Hopefully, that’s my goal. I want to come back to England to play my football and especially here at Ipswich,” he said.
"It doesn’t mean we have to win promotion for that to happen but it’s obviously what we want. If it doesn’t happen this season, with the manager we have now I would expect it to happen next season.
"I have played a lot of games for this club and there is a strong connection between us. I really feel at home here and I’m enjoying it. I’m happy, which is always important, and we are doing our very best to bring success to the club.”
Norway-raised Celina, who is currently on holiday in Spain with Town team-mate Wes Burns, still has another two years left on his contract at Dijon, who are 11th in France’s Ligue 2 with one game to play. Celina seems certain to leave on either a permanent basis or another loan this summer.