A free deal and which transfer link is a thumbs down?published at 17:32 BST
17:32 BST
We have been asking you questions about Ipswich Town all summer. Our latest is a two-pronged query...
First, is there anyone on the free transfer list you think makes sense or is realistic as a signing?
Mohamed Salah, John Stones, Solly March, Fabinho, Leon Goretzka, Dusan Vlahovic, Jadon Sancho, Daichi Kamada and Yves Bissouma are just some of the names currently available - and you can see a list here of the 15 free agents involved at the World Cup.
And secondly, is there a player Ipswich are constantly linked with but you hope they never sign? If so, who and why?
Best player partnerships of McKenna erapublished at 13:22 BST
13:22 BST
Image source, Getty Images
BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin and Harvey Bell continue their (3 in 4) Top 5 Ipswich series following a pause during the change in management at Portman Road.
On this episode, they look at the best player partnerships from Kieran McKenna's time in charge at Ipswich.
The episode was recorded before McKenna's departure was confirmed.
Yet to come is the top five goals, rivalries, cult heroes, loan signings, and best XI from the McKenna era.
Which teams could be worse than Ipswich?published at 13:17 BST 2 July
13:17 BST 2 July
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In the final part of Thursday's Q&A, BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin focuses on the pathway of breaking into the first team and whether Gary O'Neil values it, and which teams could be in trouble this season in the Premier League.
Adrian asked: We didn't see as many homegrown players play regularly in the first team under Kieran McKenna as perhaps supporters would have liked. Now that we are moving up to the Premier League, what does the new manager think would be the pathway to breaking into the first team now, and will that differ to the most recent one?
Graeme: Well Gary O'Neil made it clear during his first press conference last week that he is massively impressed by the new look training base at the club, along with the academy set-up.
In the ideal world of his and most supporters, Town would have several academy products competing for regular first team football. However, it's just not the reality of where the club – or most clubs in the Premier League – is at the moment, and in the immediate future, I don't think we will see a lot of change.
Be prepared for more buying and selling, and more members of the youth teams being loaned out. That being said, I think it's a real positive that Town's U21s will compete in he EFL Trophy this season, as this will give youngsters at the club a real taste of senior football.
Hopefully they can enjoy a good run in the competition and give the manager and his staff something to think about, in terms of using one or two in his League Cup and FA Cup squads going forward.
Clive asked: For Town to stay up, they need three teams to be worse than them, but who? Spurs have added quality, so, other than the promoted sides who would you tip for relegation?
Graeme: This is a really interesting one this season, given so many clubs will begin the campaign with a new look to them in terms of who's on the touchline.
At Fulham, Marco Silva worked wonders during his five years in charge, and his replacement has a huge act to follow. Pierre Sage is also taking on a big job at Crystal Palace, given Oliver Glasner brought the Eagles the best moments in their history during his reign at Selhurst Park.
I'm going to play the hangover card and suggest both those teams could well be in the relegation mix this year, along with Nottingham Forest and Leeds.
Daniel Farke has done a fantastic job at Elland Road. He survived calls for his sacking when Ipswich beat his team to promotion two years ago and got Leeds up 12 months later. Last year, there were similar shouts for him to go after a run of six defeats from seven during October and November.
Four points against Chelsea and Liverpool though saved him, and he deservedly kept the team up against the odds. But a slow start to 26-27 will undoubtedly see Farke treading water once again, and it might be one tricky spell too many.
Scroll back down this page for the other two parts of Graeme's Q&A, which look at subjects including transfers, Mark Ashton backing Gary O'Neil this summer and what Town's weaknesses are.
Where are Town's major weaknesses?published at 09:37 BST 2 July
09:37 BST 2 July
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In the second part of Thursday's special Q&A, BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin focuses on whether Gary O'Neil will be backed in this transfer window by owner Mark Ashton, and what he thinks are the biggest weaknesses in Town's squad.
Andy asked: Is Mr Ashton going to deliver exactly what the new manager wants in the transfer market ?
Graeme: I think the reality is no. The vast majority of football managers in the Premier League never get exactly what they want, and the fact remains that Town have had just one season in the top-flight since 2001-02.
Re-establishing a club at this level is extremely difficult and takes a lot of hard work. Ipswich are stronger commercially for sure, and numerous departments at the club have made huge strides since relegation two years ago. However, there will still be setbacks in the forthcoming transfer window and Town will have to move on from them quickly.
Both Gary O'Neil and Mark Ashton will have identified the parts of the field where they need to strengthen, and then it's a case of having two or three options for those positions. If you don't get your first choice, it's straight onto the next.
Simon asked: Where are the biggest weaknesses in the team?
Graeme: Town's biggest weakness at the moment is depth. Following Conor Townsend's departure, Leif Davis is currently the only natural senior left-back.
At centre half, Elkan Baggott – who played less than 90 minutes for Town last season and spent the campaign prior to that on loan with Blackpool – is next in the pecking order to Dara O'Shea, Jacob Greaves and Cedric Kipre at this moment in time.
We're still awaiting news as to whether Wes Burns will extend his stay at the club, if he doesn't, Kasey McAteer, Sindre Walle-Egeli and Chieo Ogbene are the current options on the right of midfield.
Meanwhile, in the much talked about number nine position, Town have George Hirst and Ali-Al Hamadi returning from their respective stints with Scotland and Iraq at the World Cup.
There is no shortage of options at number 10, but of them, only Sam Szmodics has recent experience of the Premier League, and question marks remain about his future at the club. In summary, there are very few areas of the field where Town won't be looking to strengthen.
Come back to this page later on Thursday for the third and final part of Graeme's Q&A, which will look at O'Neil's approach to using homegrown talent and which three teams he predicts to be worse than Town in order for them to stay up.
Who's on O'Neil's target list and are they within budget?published at 08:19 BST 2 July
08:19 BST 2 July
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We asked you to send in your Ipswich questions for BBC Radio Suffolk reporter Graeme McLoughlin. In the first part of a special Q&A, he focuses on Gary O'Neil's transfer business for the summer.
Xavier asked: How many new signings do you think Gary O'Neil will make? And what leagues do you think he will look at?
Graeme: I think the club is set for a very busy few weeks. There's likely to be a few new faces at the first training camp in Spain towards the end of July, and I'd expect upwards of half a dozen by the time Town head for Germany in mid-August.
Gary O'Neil and the recruitment department will have a list of talent from all the top leagues in Europe, and it's no surprise given he's spent the last six months in France, that the new manager has been linked with moves for a couple of players currently stationed in Ligue 1.
In an ideal world, most of the new recruits will have plenty of Premier League experience as it's something Town were lacking two years ago.
Graeme: So far this summer, goalkeeper Nick Pope and forward Callum Wilson have been the names continually linked with a move to Ipswich, and I think both would be astute acquisitions.
Between them, there is a wealth of Premier League experience in key positions, and I'd argue that both would be far less of a gamble than Kalvin Phillips was in August 2024.
It's being reported that Town are among the clubs interested in Toulouse striker Emersonn, who enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in Ligue 1, and I wonder if Julio Enciso would fancy a return to Ipswich after his latest exploits with the Paraguay national team. The 22-year-old worked with Gary O'Neil at Strasbourg last season, and I certainly wouldn't be against him returning. However, the more he shines at the World Cup, the more he's likely to cost!
I'm not sure many people will disagree when I say that the new manager needs additional cover in most positions on the field. He could do with at least four of his summer arrivals being ready to come straight into his starting XI.
It is glaringly obvious that a proven goalscorer is required. The current squad has 14 Premier League goals between them, with captain Dara O'Shea and George Hirst joint top of that particular chart with three each.
Keep across this page on Thursday for parts two and three of Graeme's Q&A, which will look at subjects like squad weaknesses, the use of homegrown talent and survival chances.
Taylor told BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour: "I asked the same question when he came to Wolves of our colleagues at Solent and the suggestion was that it was too early to tell what O'Neil-ball was because he would essentially just be pragmatic at Bournemouth and so it was largely quite defensive.
"There was a bit of a move away from that after they'd found their feet and started to pull away from the bottom of the table in his first season at Wolves, and for a period they did play some quite exciting football - but for most of his 18 months, and certainly in the last six months, he was feeling he was going to become more defensive.
"At the start of the season when he ultimately was dismissed in December, he did make an effort to break away from the back-three system which has been the regular feature of football at Molineux under the past five or six managers, going back to when Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed in 2017. Several managers, including O'Neil, attempted to break away from that and found they just didn't have the squad to to sustain it."
"O'Neil switched to a back four and things just fell apart completely. Now whether they fell apart completely because he switched them to a back four and therefore that's his fault [is up for debate]. He was also under a lot of pressure to make the team more attacking and there were a lot of fans calling for them to play a back four.
"My inference from that - and I haven't studied his spell at Strasbourg this season, although it's relatively short - is that there wasn't really an O'Neil-ball.
"I did ask him about that once. He was keen to try to make them more attacking but, ultimately, they fell back on just trying to hang on in a lot of games because, frankly, that was the level of resources he felt they had."
Ipswich Q&A: Send in your questionspublished at 14:30 BST 29 June
14:30 BST 29 June
It is under two months until Ipswich Town begin their season back in the Premier League and there is plenty on the Tractor Boys' agenda before a ball is kicked.
After gaining promotion back to the top flight after just a year in the Championship, transformative manager Kieran McKenna has left Portman Road to take a break from management. Now, new boss Gary O'Neil has a big job on his hands to build a team capable of staying in the top tier.
There is clearly plenty to discuss, so BBC Radio Suffolk sports editor Graeme McLoughlin will be on hand to answer your questions later this week.
Put your thinking cap on - what do you want to know about Ipswich right now?
You're the scout! Which World Cup players do you want at your club?published at 11:46 BST 29 June
11:46 BST 29 June
Image source, Getty Images
We're now into the knockout rounds of the biggest World Cup ever and we want to know who has grabbed your attention so far - especially with the summer transfer window a couple of weeks into being officially open.
Which player has raised your eyebrows? Who has exceeded your expectations? Has there been a player you had no knowledge of consistently impress you?
Ultimately, who would you realistically like to see lining up for your team in the Premier League next season?
This is your opportunity to show off your talent-spotting skills - the floor (pitch) is yours...
And there's more - the BBC has launched live match updates so you can see the score directly on your lock screen through the full 90 minutes and beyond.
This means you can keep track of every game wherever you are - whether you're on the move, at work, or away from a TV. With live match updates on your lock screen, the score is always just a glance away.
This feature will also extend into the 2026-27 Premier League season, so you're never out of the loop.
Will Suffolk fall in love again?published at 17:21 BST 24 June
17:21 BST 24 June
Steve Mellen Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Wanted: Man to take on a tricky task and a very hard one. The tricky task is to keep a newly-promoted team in the Premier League. The very hard one is to make a distraught fanbase fall in love again.
I have friends with young kids, and those kids think that most seasons at Portman Road end with a promotion pitch invasion because that is pretty much all they've known since Kieran McKenna took charge.
We knew it would end some day. Clubs of the stature of Manchester United and Chelsea had been sniffing around in the past, and other Premier League sides were also interested.
What we didn't expect was him to want a break so early in his career, but when you reflect on it, it makes sense. His success as a coach has been based on an almost obsessive attention to detail, to being the first one in the training ground car park and the last one to leave. That takes a toll.
Maybe there was a clue in the first interview McKenna gave as thousands invaded the pitch when promotion was secured back in May, when he said he wanted a break before thinking about the challenge ahead. The way his voice cracked with emotion at the end of his "goodbye" video to the fans suggests it was a harder decision than we might realise.
So the shoes Gary O'Neil needs to fill are not just big, they are the ones from the nursery rhyme large enough for a woman and her family to live in.
The reception from fans has been mixed, with words like "underwhelming" bandied around. But that's harsh in my view. O'Neil laid the foundations for Bournemouth's current success, and his recent season with Strasbourg was impressive.
A good start will be key, and a distinct style. We've grown used to the excitement of 'McKennaball', now O'Neil will have to get the fans off their seats while achieving the one thing McKenna could not – Premier League survival.
If he manages that, Suffolk may well fall in love again. We're sentimental like that.
Steve Mellen is an author, the former editor of ITFC magazine Meet Me At Sir Alf, and also represented fanzine Those Were The Days
Your World Cup scouting: Souttar and David at Ipswich?published at 16:16 BST 24 June
16:16 BST 24 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked you which players you have watched at the World Cup that you think would be a great fit at Ipswich Town.
Here are some of your comments:
Neil: Alireza Beiranvand, the Iranian goalkeeper. Currently plays for Tractor in Iran - already a Tractor Boy.
Ted: As an Aussie I'm obviously biased, but Harry Souttar from Leicester City would be a fantastic edition to our backline. Especially as Leicester have been relegated from the Championship! Souttar paired with Dara O'Shea would be a formidable force!
David: I think Canada international Promise David would be a fantastic addition to the Ipswich forward line... he's a huge physical presence at 6ft5, has great speed, is only 24 and has been improving very quickly over the past couple of years. His physicality and speed would be a force in the Premier League, and with high-level coaching will continue to improve.
Bring Delap back - fans on O'Neil priorities published at 10:58 BST 24 June
10:58 BST 24 June
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We asked for your views on Ipswich Town's appointment of Gary O'Neil as manager and what his first priorities should be.
Here are some of your comments:
Mark: We must get at least two quality and proven goalscorers and our midfield needs additions. Also the manager must have a plan A and B. Our priorities must be to stay in the Premier League.
James: This is not a good appointment at all, however we have to get behind it. The one thing I think needs to happen is getting Liam Delap back on loan. If O'Neil can use his BlueCo connection to make it happen this would be a great bit of business.
Malcolm: I imagine he could do a decent job, but starting off with perhaps 50% of fans against him means there will be zero margin for error when the season gets underway.
Paul: O'Neil was not the most fantastic appointment but certainly not the worst. It's not a name we associate with exciting, free-flowing football but then again, the best that could be said about last season's football is that it was competent apart from some outstanding performances, among them Coventry away. We crave the excitement of the two promotion years from League One to the Premier League but I'm sure most supporters would be more than happy if O'Neil can put a squad together to ensure a modicum of safety.
A proven goalscorer is likely to be one of Ipswich Town's priorities this summer when it comes to bringing in new players, but how many of those shining at the World Cup would be interested in a move to Suffolk remains to be seen.
Cyle Larin feels like one that got away having watched him find the net for Canada against Qatar. He'll remain with last season's Championship rivals Southampton having made his impressive loan switch a permanent one.
Away from the World Cup, Ipswich have been linked with Italian teenager Jeff Ekhator who certainly could be one for the future.
Four goals from 54 league appearances for Genoa doesn't get the juices flowing, though, and I'd sooner see Town opt for an older head in Callum Wilson, who does at least have a proven track record in the Premier League.
'I'm very impressed with how O'Neil has spoken' - fan viewspublished at 19:18 BST 23 June
19:18 BST 23 June
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BBC Radio Suffolk has taken to the streets of Ipswich to canvas opinion on Gary O'Neil's appointment.
Alfie, who is 12 and an Ipswich Town fan. He says Gary O'Neil is "alright".
"McKenna is better, always, but I'll take him," he says of the new manager. "We need to sign more players though. "I liked McKenna a lot, I think we can possibly stay in the Prem."
Supporter Gordon Smith added: "He's not bad, young and up and coming. He's got to get the right players. If he gets good Premier League players, maybe we'll just hang in there for a while."
Meanwhile, writing in to BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour show, David from Pembrokeshire said: "I'm very impressed with how Gary has spoken at the press conference. Not only his views on taking the club forward, but also the respect he's shown to the current squad, the history of the club and the part of the world he's moving to."
O'Neil will be backed at Ipswichpublished at 18:57 BST 23 June
18:57 BST 23 June
Gary O'Neil returns to the Premier League after 18 months away.
The Tractor Boys accelerated their process at the start of last week, also considering Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but O'Neil has been in their thoughts for a long time.
He had been seen as the ideal replacement for Kieran McKenna and there was internal expectation he would be the one to come in.
Ipswich were braced for McKenna's departure, whether it was to another club or not, and had prepared accordingly.
Talks with O'Neil advanced quickly on Thursday although, like any manager, he sought assurances and clarity over recruitment and Ipswich's spending power.
Those questions were answered, although Strasbourg and owners BlueCo wanted him to stay in France.
He had positive conversations with Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea's co-owner and the majority shareholder of BlueCo, the consortium which owns both the Blues and Strasbourg.
Eghbali was keen to keep O'Neil but, with budgets tight and an acceptance it would be difficult to replace Chelsea-bound Emmanuel Emegha and Valentin Barco, the decision was perhaps made a little easier.
Town are expected to spend to strengthen the squad for their Premier League return and the target is survival, ensuring they compete with the bottom six.
Ipswich feel they are better equipped for the top flight this season than two years ago, after McKenna led them to successive promotions from League One.
O'Neil will be backed and, having seen his time at Bournemouth and Wolves cut short, he has the perfect opportunity to re-establish himself in the Premier League.
O'Neil on experience, transfers and 'special' Ipswichpublished at 17:11 BST 23 June
17:11 BST 23 June
Media caption,
Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media after being unveiled as the new head coach of Ipswich Town.
The 43-year-old, who is the 20th manager in the Blues' 90-year professional history, arrives at Portman Road from French side Strasbourg, signing a three-year deal to the summer of 2029.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
O'Neil started by telling reporters that Kieran McKenna did "incredible things", but the next steps are about stabilising Ipswich as a Premier League club.
He added the focus is to "get enough points" to stay in the Premier League and he can see that the club's aim is to grow, which is what attracted him to the role.
On being at Ipswich: "You can probably tell I'm excited to get going. I'm disappointed we don't start training instantly but the lads need their break so we've given them the next few days to make sure that they're ready. There will be plenty for me to do between now and that moment."
The new head coach believes he has the experience to help the club in whichever position they find themselves in: "Whether we get this club to a European semi-final, I've done that before, whether we need to stay in the Premier League, I've done that before."
On this role compared to previous ones: "The Premier League is huge of course, and to do it at a club with this history is something new for me. Of course I have had two fantastic opportunities already at Premier League clubs, this one feels very, very special to me."
He added: "The last two cracks at the Premier League, it wasn't with teams that were on the up."
O'Neil is yet to meet the squad but said "they look like a committed group and they get the backing of the fans because of that", adding: "You can see that the team is together and well coached."
On transfers: "We have spent a few hours to go through some bits about the current group and what we think we can help them with, and then what we can supplement from outside, but there will be a lot of work to be done. We will be doing our very best to try and give the club the best chance. I'll have my own thoughts on what we need. The recruitment team look like they're doing a fantastic job and have some good stuff lined up, so let's see what we can do."
On his style of play: "At Strasbourg, we were 4-2-3-1 a lot. We rotated a bit with the ball to give us some different shapes. We had a lot of the ball. I like that, that is a preference of mine, but we will have to play Manchester City at the Etihad at some point. Maybe it won't be that [formation] and that's probably about as much as I want to give you at this moment."
O'Neil insisted they "need to take this on now" after successful Championship season, adding: "We need to take it on from where it's been. It's been an incredible journey but we haven't had a Premier League season that has ended in success yet for a very long time. That needs to be the aim now."
O'Neil takes over at Ipswichpublished at 17:06 BST 23 June
17:06 BST 23 June
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich Town have appointed Gary O'Neil as manger.
"It is an honour to be appointed Manager of this great football club," O'Neil said.
"I have followed the progress the club has made over the last few years closely and to now have the opportunity to lead Ipswich Town in the Premier League is something I am hugely excited by.
"There is a strong vision and ambition at this club and I am fully aware of the responsibility that brings, given how much it means to its supporters and to the community of Ipswich and Suffolk.
"We all know the challenge ahead as we prepare for the season together and I'm excited to meet everyone and get to work."
Strasbourg received a fee believed to be worth 5m euros (£4.3m) including add-ons as O'Neil had two years left on his contract in France. The top flight club, which is linked to Chelsea through their shared ownership, aim to appoint a new manager within the next two weeks.
Mark Ashton, chief executive at Ipswich Town, told reporters he believes O'Neil is "our man" after appointing him as the new manager.
"We had a small group of people that we had a genuine personal interest in and then you see what comes in from the market," he says.
"We run a robust professional process and right the way through that process, Gary's key attributes shone.
"I think right from the start of that process, we met him, we spent time with him, we spoke to him, we started to call references, we did our due diligence, it was clear he was out man.
The 43-year-old is poised to replace Kieran McKenna, who stepped down from his position at Portman Road earlier this month.
BBC Radio Sussex producer and Ipswich fan Harvey Bell has been reacting to the impending appointment on The Blue Hour: "Whoever followed Kieran McKenna was always going to have a tough job and, if I'm being honest, of all the names that were out there, was Gary O'Neil my first choice? Probably not.
"I know he's not for many Ipswich Town fans, but over the weekend, with it seeming to have become a little bit clearer that that does seem to be the direction of travel according to various different reports, I was doing a bit more research trying to warm myself to the idea.
"You mentioned about the fact when he took over from Scott Parker at Bournemouth they had a really good second half of the season, he kept them up when Scott Parker had previously said that season that he didn't think anybody was capable of doing that.
"Then his first season at Wolves was really good. Got to a FA Cup quarter-final. It then went a bit dodgy second season at Wolves, but do you know what? He's done a fairly decent job at Strasbourg this season as well. They finished eighth.
"So look, he's a fairly new manager. He's had three proper jobs in Bournemouth, Wolves and Strasbourg. Still very early to judge so the jury's out but let's get behind him."
