x

McKenna: There Are a Few Positions Where We Need to Be Stronger - Ipswich Town News

Boss Kieran McKenna says there are a number of areas which need to be strengthened if the Blues are to be a top Championship side this season.

Town have lost players in a number of areas over the summer, most notably central midfield and more recently in attack with Nathan Broadhead joining Wrexham and Omari Hutchinson on the verge of a move to Nottingham Forest.

Having lost skipper Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo and Kalvin Phillips in the summer, the Blues agreed a fee with Middlesbrough for Hayden Hackney only for the England U21 international to turn down the switch.

Since then, Jens Cajuste has returned on loan from Napoli for a second season, but the Blues still need further reinforcements in that area.

The Daily Mail is linking Newcastle United midfielder Lewis Miley, 19, as a loan target with Bournemouth duo Lewis Cook, 28, and Philip Billing, 29, who has also been mentioned in connection with Town in social media rumours also said to be on the list.

Town will also be looking for players to replace Broadhead and Hutchinson once his departure for Forest is complete.

Crystal Palace’s Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, a player eyed in a number previous transfer windows, may come back into the reckoning having spent last season on loan at Sheffield United.

In defence, TWTD revealed earlier this afternoon that the Blues are showing interest in Uruguayan international Sebastian Caceres, who is currently with Club America in Mexico, which would suggest an exit in that area, perhaps Luke Woolfenden, whose first-team opportunities appear limited in the season ahead.

McKenna says no other deals are currently close, aside from Como striker Iván Azón’s season-long loan move, but that it’s likely to be a busy fortnight before the window closes on September 1st.

"There are a few positions that we feel that we need to be stronger in to be the top side that we want to be. I don't believe that there's anything very, very close,” he said.

"We have a few weeks left in the window, and we've got probably a busy few weeks ahead from that perspective. 

"I think the biggest challenge, and I know it's a challenge for the supporters as well, we all have to be really united on it going into Sunday, is that players leaving, players coming, rumours in one direction, in the other direction, they all need to be blocked out because we have a really tough start to the season with competitive games. 

"We're not quite in the position that we want to be in for those games and if our focus isn't 100 per cent on the task at hand, then we're going to come up short. 

"What happens in the next few weeks in terms of incomings and outgoings remains to be seen, but our focus here, day to day, has been and needs to be on trying to prepare the players who are here and get ready for the games ahead. 

"And I know with the supporters, with transfer news and things coming in, things going out, there'll be lots of opinions, but I'll just say that everyone coming to the stadium on Sunday, we really need to be together as a group. 

"And if they can bring that top, top support we've had there over the years, it'd be a big, big help for the group and give us a much better chance of getting the performance and the result that we want on Sunday.”

McKenna reiterated that young midfielder Cameron Humphreys could play a significant part in the season with no current thoughts of sending him back out on loan following his successful spell with Wycombe last season.

"The plan is to keep him here as it stands,” he added. "I say as it stands because I've said all along that I think there's going to be movement in both ways between now and the end of the window, and there'll be incomings and there'll be outgoings. And the midfield department I think it's fair to say that will probably be one of those departments.

"But we believe that he can contribute. He's shown that through pre-season, he's shown that before he went on loan, he's shown on loan that he can, we feel he can definitely step up and be a good player in the Championship level.

"So he's an important player for us. With a young player you value highly, there's always a balanced decision to make in terms of the benefits you feel that having them with you and in the environment that you control where you can get the work in that you think they need.

"Which is really, really beneficial as against to the importance for a young player of playing lots of minutes. And you try to balance those decisions up with your young players and try to reach the right conclusions for all parties.

"So at the moment, he's very, very important to us. He's going to be very important to us this season and beyond, irrespective of what happens in the rest of the transfer window.

"But in terms of incomings or outgoings, we're going to have to make assessments over the next few weeks and try and have the appropriate amount of depth.”

What to read next:

Women's Season Ticket Prices Announced
The club has announced details of season ticketing for Ipswich Town Women’s first ever WSL2 campaign with all their home league matches being played at the JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester.
Blues Host Saints Aiming to End Home Woes
Town host Southampton at Portman Road on Sunday still looking for their first home win of 2025 (Sky Sports, KO midday).
McKenna: Good Loan Moves For Keepers
Blues boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking about the loan moves made by keepers Aro Muric and Cieran Slicker over the last week.
Town Eyeing Uruguayan International Defender
Town are eyeing Uruguayan international centre-half Sebastian Caceres, TWTD understands.
McKenna: Philogene Back Training, Matusiwa Should Be Ready For Sunday
Town boss Kieran McKenna says Jaden Philogene returned to training yesterday following his ankle injury, while he expects Azor Matusiwa to be fine for Sunday’s home game against Southampton and gave an update on new signings Jens Cajuste and Chuba Akpom, as well as longer-term absentees Wes Burns, Conor Townsend and Harry Clarke.
McKenna: Azón Deal Not Yet Complete
Town boss Kieran McKenna says Como striker Iván Azón’s loan move to the Blues is not yet complete but confirmed that the 22-year-old has travelled to England.
McKenna: I'd Liked to Have Kept Broadhead
Town manager Kieran McKenna says he would have liked to have kept Nathan Broadhead at Portman Road but that the Wales international made it clear early in the summer he’d like to move on to Wrexham.
McKenna: We're Disappointed With How Hutchinson Exit's Been Played Out
Town boss Kieran McKenna say he’ll wish Omari Hutchinson well for the rest of his career if his £37.5 million move to Nottingham Forest goes through but admits he’s been disappointed at the manner in which the England U21 international’s time at Portman Road has come to end.
Released Agbaje Joins Sligo Rovers
Released Blues defender Edwin Agbaje has joined League of Ireland Sligo Rovers until the end of the Irish season, which runs through the summer.
Morsy: Hutchinson Exit Should Have Been Smoother
Former Blues skipper Sam Morsy has commented on the manner of Omari Hutchinson’s departure from Town and says he hopes the 21-year-old’s contribution at Portman Road won’t be forgotten.