The town of Ipswich got off to a fierce start in the championship following their relegation to the Premier League last season. Kieran McKenna’s team is currently sitting 18th in the championship and was knocked out from the first round of the League Cup after many star players died.
Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap secured Premier League futures in moves to Nottingham Forest and Chelsea respectively. So far, this window, Ipswich, has actually made more than £50 million.
They handed out several players, including Kasey McAther and Azor Matususiwa, for free Ashley Young and lended out Chuba Akpom in a permanent deal. However, these signatures have not yet brought victory to McKenna’s side.
There’s still time left in the Transfer Window, but Ipswich is pushing to bring in another signature to bolster them defensively.
Ipswich is close to the final decision of Furlong
The town of Ipswich is approaching a contract with West Bromwich Albion for Darnell Farlon. The defender contract initially costs the tractor boy £3.5 million.
The agreement also includes a unique clause that means that Ipswich will have to pay West Brom an additional £500,000 if he is to secure a promotion. However, given the start of the season, it seems unlikely that this clause will be achieved now. West Brom is set to make an impressive profit at Farlong, as he spent just £1.4 million when he joined QPR in 2019.
Ipswich recently worked with Fallon Agency, New Era Global Sports Management Limited, on behalf of Corbin Musanji, who joined the academy from Brighton in April.
“One of the best fullbacks of the championship”
Along with Furlong, Ipswich will have a highly ranked and competent defender among his peers in tier 2 last season. In the 2024/25 campaign, Furlong was ranked in the top 3% of players in both air and ground duels.
The unique area where Furlong shines has won a foul. Furlong scored 72 free kicks last season, putting him in the top 3% of similar players. These fouls are often the result of his Noos as he wins his own defensive third time and deals with looming opposition players.
These achievements are part of the reason why Furlong left a positive impression on coaches who have worked in the past. Valencia boss Carlos Koven, who managed Furlong for two years as West Brom boss, praised Fullback when he was manager.
“Furlong is a player I personally love working with. He shows that he’s a very sturdy and very mentally strong player in the number of hours he plays every season without lowering his level, so he’s the player we need to cherish a lot because he’s the best natural thing and adds offensive and defensive action that made him one of the best fullbacks.”
Based on these defensive statistics and his former manager’s praise for him, Ipswich may be looking to recruit a catalyst that can kickstart the season and climb the table.