Ipswich latest: Major reasons Ipswich Town should avoid QPR transfer agreement if Premier League football is secured

Ipswich latest: Major reasons Ipswich Town should avoid QPR transfer agreement if Premier League football is secured

Tractor Boys have only a few games left in the Championship to secure their spot in the Premier League next season.

The Tractor Boys have been one of the season’s surprise surprises,

earning the chance to battle with Leeds United, Leicester City, and Southampton for an automatic promotion.

There has been no luck involved; Ipswich have earned everything they have accomplished

this season and now only have a few games left to secure one of the two automatic places available.

So, obviously, all attention will be focused on the remaining games, rather than planning too far ahead,

given the club has yet to choose which division they will be in.

However, the transfer market is not long away, and speculation appears to be heating up,

particularly about Ipswich and Jake Clarke-Salter.

According to reports this week, the defender is someone the club should consider, although he will face competition from other teams.

Ipswich are among the teams interested in Jake Clarke-Salter.

As previously stated, while most teams are focused on the last games of the season,

the summer transfer window isn’t far off, and reports are beginning to emerge.

The Sun reported on Monday that Ipswich Town, Celtic, and Premier League clubs Burnley, Crystal Palace,

and Wolves have expressed interest in Queens Park Rangers defender Jake Clarke-Salter.

Clarke-Salter is under contract with the Hoops until the summer of 2026,

but his performances for the Championship side have piqued the interest of the aforementioned sides.

The centre-back has been at QPR since 2022, when he joined the club on a free transfer, and this season,

he has been key in Marti Cifuentes’ team as they try to  beat the drop.

Ipswich should resist signing Jake Clarke-Salter if promotion is confirmed.

Ipswich have been really fortunate this season,

as they have assembled a group that has provided them with numerous choices throughout the season.

However, one area where manager Kieran McKenna may not have many options is on the defensive side.

The Ipswich manager has depended heavily on Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess,

with George Edmundson and Axel Tuanzebe providing support, the latter primarily at right-back.

So, it is obvious that this may be an area of the pitch that the club is aiming to enhance,

and as previously stated, Jake Clarke-Salter has been very crucial for QPR this season,

playing 29  times in the Championship and has been key for the club since Cifuentes arrived.

Jake Clarke-Salter’s 2023/24 Championship stats for QPR	Total
Matches played	29
Minutes per game	81
Goals	1
Passing accuracy	41.4 (84%)
Key passes	0.1
Touches	61.6
Interceptions per game	1.0
Tackles per game	2.1
Average rating	6.92
Stats as per https://sportviewers.com

During those 29 games, the defender has scored one goal, but more importantly,

he has impressed with his ball control and defensive abilities.

The 26-year-old has an accurate passing rate of 41.4 (84%) per game, resulting in 61.6 touches and 0.1 critical passes.

Furthermore, the defender is yet to register an assist, which will be frustrating given his xA of 0.35, according to Sofascore.com.

However, the player will be judged mostly on his defensive duties, as he averages 1.0 interceptions per game,

2.1 tackles per game, and 4.1 ball recoveries, all of which have helped the club retain seven clean sheets, according to Sofascore.

While Clarke-Salter has been vital for QPR this season and may make a move this summer,

if Ipswich is promoted to the Premier League, you believe they should look at stronger choices.

As previously stated, the QPR defender has proven to be a decent player at this level,

but promotion would mean Ipswich would be operating at a higher level,

and with their funds in the current state, they can undoubtedly chase stronger possibilities.

McKenna will need to address the centre-back position, therefore it is critical that they strengthen in the summer.

If they are a Premier League team, they may be better off forgetting about Clarke-Salter and searching elsewhere.

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