Championship all-stars to global gamble – will Ipswich’s approach work?Image caption, Ipswich paid a club record fee to sign striker Emersonn, who is the first Brazilian to join the clubByTom McCoyBBC Sport journalistPublished47 minutes agoNewly promoted Ipswich Town have quietly been the Premier League’s fourth-biggest net spenders so far this summer, behind only Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Ten players have joined for a combined £106.6m, but what is most notable about the Tractor Boys’ approach under new manager Gary O’Neil is the sea change in recruitment strategy, shaped by lessons learned from their chastening single season in the top flight in 2024-25.
Under O’Neil’s popular predecessor Kieran McKenna, who stepped down on 10 June after overseeing three promotions in four full seasons, the Blues targeted players familiar with English football.
McKenna’s success was built mainly on players from the UK and Republic of Ireland, supplemented by a handful of overseas additions already accustomed to the language and culture through spells at other English clubs.
Ipswich made 39 permanent first-team signings during McKenna’s four-and-a-half-year reign, 32 of them either born or raised in Britain or Ireland, with just two joining directly from European clubs.
But the premium on domestic talent makes it difficult, if not impossible, to bridge the gulf between the Championship and Premier League. The success of Sunderland and Leeds last season demonstrated that for promoted teams to thrive, finding value in the transfer market is essential.
When Ipswich last went up in 2024, 10 of their 12 summer signings were British or Irish players acquired from other English sides.
This time, the Blues have cast their net far wider, with Emersonn and Florentino Luis set to be the first Brazilians to represent the club, Sasa Lukic the first Serbian and Daizen Maeda the first Japanese player.
Of the 10 players purchased, the only Briton is Chuba Akpom from Ajax. Even his arrival is an anomaly, given Ipswich were obliged to buy him following promotion despite an underwhelming loan spell.
