Ipswich's XI if they'd kept their best players: £25m striker and England trio
07/20/2022 10:34 AM
Ipswich Town have helped nurture a wealth of players that are currently playing in the Premier League and HITC Sport have put together an XI if the Tractor Boys kept their best players.
Asmir Begovic – Everton
The Bosnian spent a month on loan at the Portman Road side from Portsmouth in 2009 and the Toffees stopper made six appearances for the Tractor Boys.
Begovic never lost during his time as an Ipswich player, winning one and drawing the five other games he played in.
The 35-year-old is currently Everton’s number two goalkeeper with him being the back-up option to Jordan Pickford.
Matt Clarke – Brighton & Hove Albion
After spending a season on loan at Portsmouth, Clarke left the Tractor Boys to join the Fratton Park side on a permanent deal.
Following three further seasons with Pompey, the centre-back, who made five appearances for Ipswich, was signed by Brighton.
The 25-year-old is yet to make his debut for the Seagulls having spent the last three seasons on loan at Derby County and most recently West Bromwich Albion.
Adam Webster – Brighton
Following his arrival from Portsmouth, Webster spent two seasons at Portman Road before Bristol City signed the talented centre-back.
Brighton forked out a club-record £20m to sign Webster from the Robins and he’s gone on to establish himself as a mainstay in Graham Potter’s Seagulls side.
The 27-year-old, who will be targeting a late push ahead of Gareth Southgate naming his World Cup squad, made 53 appearances for Ipswich.
Tyrone Mings – Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s club captain spent two-and-a-half years as an Ipswich Town player following his arrival from Chippenham.
Across two-and-a-half years at Portman Road, Mings made 63 appearances before Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth paid £8m to sign the then-22-year-old in 2015.
After helping Aston Villa secure promotion back up to the Premier League during a loan spell, Mings joined the Villains on a permanent deal worth £20m.
The 29-year-old, who has 17 caps for England to his name, will be hoping to remain a key part of Steven Gerrard’s plans at Villa Park.
Wes Burns – Ipswich Town
After scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in League One last season, it would be unfair to leave the Wales international out of the Ipswich side.
Burns will be hoping to kick on even further in the club’s first season under former Manchester United first team coach Kieran McKenna.
After making his Wales debut last month, the 27-year-old will be hoping to secure a spot in Robert Page’s World Cup squad.
Aaron Cresswell – West Ham United
Cresswell spent three seasons at Portman Road following his arrival from Tranmere Rovers before West Ham came calling.
The talented dead-ball specialist scored two goals and laid on 14 assists in his last season with the Tractor Boys.
Cresswell’s ability to provide and contribute from set pieces, as well as his delivery from wide areas, has seen him become a vital part of David Moyes’ Hammers side.
In 138 games for Ipswich, the three-time England international scored seven goals and supplied 25 assists.
Flynn Downes – West Ham
Downes has joined Cresswell at the London Stadium this summer following his move from Swansea City.
The 23-year-old only moved to the Welsh side from Ipswich last summer but his performances have caught the attention of Moyes and Downes has been brought in following the retirement of Irons legend Mark Noble.
Downes played 99 times for Ipswich before securing a move to the Liberty Stadium.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – Arsenal
The Arsenal academy graduate spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Portman Road and it was his first loan move away from the Gunners.
The versatile England international, who play at full-back or in midfield, made 32 appearances for the Suffolk-based side.
Tom Lawrence – Rangers
Lawrence moved to Ipswich on a season-long loan from Leicester in August 2016 and the former Manchester United academy graduate thrived under Mick McCarthy.
The Welshman, who has moved to Rangers this summer, scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists during his campaign with Ipswich.
Chris Wood – Newcastle United
New Zealand’s all-time top scorer may have failed to find the back of the net during an eight-game loan spell from Leicester City in 2015, but he’s more than proven himself to be a top-class striker in the Premier League.
After scoring 44 goals in 88 matches for Leeds United, Burnley splashed the cash to sign the towering striker.
But after four-and-a-half years at Turf Moor, Newcastle triggered Wood’s £25m release clause and he became PIFs second Magpies signing.
Ryan Fraser – Newcastle
In the same summer that Mings joined the Cherries, Fraser joined the Tractor Boys on loan for the 2015-16 season.
From 21 games for Ipswich, the Scotland international, who has been reunited with Howe after the former Bournemouth manager was appointed at St James’ Park following Steve Bruce’s sacking, scored six goals and laid on six assists.
The post Ipswich's XI if they'd kept their best players: £25m striker and England trio appeared first on HITC.
