Following the arrival of Anis Mehmeti from Bristol City, Kasey McAteer’s game time at Ipswich Town may take even more of a hit, having failed to make a mark at Portman Road since his arrival from Leicester City in the summer.
Ipswich Town endured a major squad overhaul in the summer, with the core of their squad that saw them earn back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League under Kieran McKenna having departed.
Cameron Burgess, Sam Morsy, Nathan Broadhead, and Massimo Luongo all played starring roles in the Tractor Boys’ promotion, though they would all leave following their relegation back to the Championship.
In came the likes of Azor Matusiwa, Jens Cajuste, Cedric Kipre, and Marcelino Nunez to replace them, but one of their more interesting additions was the arrival of Kasey McAteer from Leicester City for a reported £12 million.
The Irishman had scored once and assisted once in 18 Premier League games for the Foxes the previous season, and was seen as another option for McKenna off the flanks.
However, he has yet to make the desired impact, and following the arrival of Anis Mehmeti from Bristol City, his game time could take a further hit.
Anis Mehmeti’s signing spells danger for Kasey McAteer at Ipswich Town
Ipswich have completed a deal for Bristol City’s Mehmeti, reportedly paying an initial £3 million for the Albanian winger to boost their attacking options.
Although Mehmeti prefers to play off the left flank to cut on to his right foot, whereas McAteer prefers to play off the right to cut in on his left foot, his arrival can only be bad news for the former Leicester man.
McAteer has started just eight games this season in 18 appearances for the Tractor Boys, with just one of those in the last nine league games he was available for, without directly contributing to a goal.
With the likes of Jaden Philogene, Jack Clarke, Sindre Walle Egeli, and Wes Burns all able to play out wide as well as Mehmeti, McAteer’s game time is unlikely to improve with this latest news.
Indeed, whilst he is capable of playing through the middle, each of Marcelino Nunez, Chuba Akpom, and Sammie Szmodics is preferred in that role, leaving McAteer without a recognised spot.
His Ipswich career has begun poorly, and with Mehmeti’s arrival, it’s highly unlikely to improve anytime soon. McAteer’s arrival at Ipswich was questioned at the time, it must be said, and he’s only facing a further challenge to cement his worth in Suffolk now.
Ipswich Town, Kieran McKenna will have one eye on the Premier League following the addition of Anis Mehmeti
Kieran McKenna
Indeed, Ipswich have not quite been firing on all cylinders this campaign as they would have hoped, yet they still remain in contention for automatic promotion.
The Tractor Boys are pushing both Middlesbrough and League leaders Coventry City for a place in the top two, with the objective of Premier League football well within their sights.
The addition of Mehmeti, who has eight goals and six assists in 28 league games so far this season, will only serve to help them on their journey back to the top flight.
McAteer has done little to aid in the fight since his arrival, and with Mehmeti now in the building, it looks increasingly unlikely that he will play much of a role for the remainder of the campaign.
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