Ipswich Town are continuing to ramp up their transfer business ahead of their Premier League opening day clash against Liverpool on Saturday, and are closing in on a pair of new midfielders.
Ipswich's impressive business to date
After securing back-to-back promotions there has understandably been significant squad turnover at Portman Road this summer. Their most important business was to renew the contract of manager Kieran McKenna, who had been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and Brighton before penning a new deal in East Anglia earlier in the transfer window.
On the pitch, the Tractor Boys have shelled out £60m on five new faces, with last season's hero Omari Hutchinson the pick of the transfers after he arrived from Chelsea for a club record £20m.
They have also added Hull City defender Jacob Greaves to the heart of their defence, while they raided relegated Burnley to bring Arijanet Muric to Portman Road in a deal worth around £8m and added veteran Conor Townsend to their side from West Bromwich Albion.
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Ben Johnson also arrived on a free transfer after his contract with West Ham United expired, while they bolstered their frontline with the arrival of Liam Delap from Manchester City, in a move that set them back a further £15m.
Now, they are closing in on signing on a loan deal to sign Napoli midfielder Jens Cajuste, who had previously been linked with a move to join fellow Premier League side Brentford, only for that move to collapse and the Tractor Boys to pounce. They are also now on the brink of another midfield addition too.
Ipswich ready for statement signing
That comes amid widespread reports that the Portman Road have beaten several other Premier League sides to the loan signing of 31-cap England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is set to leave Manchester City this summer.
The 28-year-old midfielder has endured a torrid time since his move to the Etihad from Leeds United, spending the second half of last season on loan with West Ham United and dropping out of Gareth Southgate's England squad as a result of poor form.
Though David Moyes urged fans to stay with the "excellent" midfielder at the London Stadium, Phillips managed just three starts and a total of 319 minutes across ten appearances.
"Kalvin Phillips is a really good player, an international player, an excellent footballer and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we’ve got left with him here", Moyes explained before opting to withdraw him from the firing line in the final games of the season.
Phillips at West Ham
Starts
3
Wins while starting
0
Fouls committed
14
Yellow Cards
1
Red Cards
1
Despite still having four years left to run on his £150,000 a week deal with the Premier League champions, he was always likely to leave the club this summer at least on loan, and Ipswich are set to benefit.
As per the East Anglian Daily Times, the midfielder is now travelling to Suffolk for his medical after the club agreed a one year loan deal with Manchester City, though the deal includes no option or obligation to buy Phillips at the end of his loan spell.
A move to Portman Road will see Phillips reunite with Leif Davis, with the pair having been together at Leeds United. It will also represent a statement signing for Ipswich as they look to secure Premier League survival.