Omari Hutchinson (left), Dara O’Shea (top right) and Leif Davis (bottom right) could all generate big profits for Ipswich Town in time.
Mark Ashton insists Ipswich Town’s squad value INCREASED during a Premier League relegation campaign.
After what was a limited spend during back-to-back promotions, the Blues signed 16 players at a cost of £120m+ over two top flight transfer windows.
It wasn’t enough to beat the drop, with Kieran McKenna’s men finishing 19th with just 22 points to their name.
Already, 12-goal talisman Liam Delap, a £15m addition from Man City, has made a £30m switch to Chelsea after a relegation release clause was triggered.
Fellow England Under-21 international Omari Hutchinson, an £18m buy from Chelsea, reportedly has a similar clause set at £35m, while the likes of Leif Davis, Dara O’Shea, Ben Johnson, Sammie Szmodics and George Hirst have all been linked with profit making moves.
Omari Hutchinson, an £18m buy last summer, is said to have a £35m relegation release clause.
Omari Hutchinson, an £18m buy last summer, is said to have a £35m relegation release clause.
“One hundred per cent, the squad value has gone up,” said Ashton. “The type of player we recruit, the minutes they get, the development they get under Kieran (McKenna) and his staff – it only adds value. It’s a trend that we’ve had.
‘We’ll miss them’ | Stars on ‘New…
HIGHER OR LOWER? Morgan and Butcher try…
McIlroy: I’ve earned the right to avoid…
Root, Bell and Wood join children to…
McIlroy explains media snub | ‘I was a…
‘The biggest statement PDC have ever…
Frustrated McIlroy’s hopes for US Open…
Are there too many decision makers at…
‘Liverpool are the team to beat’ | Owen…
‘There’s a question there’ – Will…
Rosberg: Red Bull safety car protest…
“One of my owners sent me a link. One of the independent bodies – Transfer Market, I think it was – had done an evaluation of player valuation growth and we were the biggest on the planet. That was an independent valuation, not ours, which did make me smile.
“Moving forward, recruitment into the academy – nine to 21s, and the 23s – that’s got to get better and be more effective. We need to recruit in the underbelly – the players that aren’t quite ready for the first team now, but who are close to the first team.
“And when you look at the first team recruitment, I think we’ve got to make sure it’s balanced. Whilst, primarily, we’re always going to look for your next Leifs (Leif Davis) and your next Omaris etc, there’s got to be a balance between that and experience. Because I think we’ve done very well in the market when we’ve recruited a Massimo (Luongo), for example, or Sam Morsy. It has to be a blend. So we’ll be looking at both areas as we move forward.”
WHAT IPSWICH PAID FOR THEIR PLAYERS
£20m – Jaden Philogene (Aston Villa)
£18m – Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea)
£15m – Jacob Greaves (Hull)
£15m – Jack Clarke (Sunderland)
£12m – Dara O’Shea (Burnley)
£9m – Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn)
£8m – Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton)
£8m – Aro Muric (Burnley)
£2m – Alex Palmer (West Brom)
£1.5m – George Hirst (Leicester)
£1.5m – Nathan Broadhead (Everton)
£1.5m – Jack Taylor
£1.2m – Leif Davis (Leeds)
£1m – Harry Clarke (Arsenal)
£1m – Ali Al-Hamadi (AFC Wimbledon)
£750k – Conor Chaplin (Barnsley)
£500k – Conor Townsend (West Brom)
£150k – Sam Morsy (Middlesbrough)
Nominal fee – Wes Burns (Fleetwood)
Nominal fee – Christian Walton (Brighton)
Nominal fee – Cieran Slicker (Man City)
Free agent – Axel Tuanzebe
Bosman free – Ben Johnson
Homegrown – Luke Woolfenden
Homegrown – Cameron Humphreys
Homegrown – Elkan Baggott
Leave a Reply