Football writer Alex Keble assesses each Premier League club and their prospects for the 2024/25 season.
Ipswich Town
This is the sweet spot. On the eve of their first Premier League campaign in 22 years, Ipswich Town fans dream of beating Liverpool at Portman Road in the August sun.
Following back-to-back promotions, supporters have every right to drink this moment in and dream big.
The reality could be very different. But for now, Ipswich fans bask in hope and possibility - and well they should.
Performance last season
Championship: Second
FA Cup: Fourth round
EFL Cup: Fourth round
Last five seasons
| Season | League position |
|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 11th (League One) |
| 2020/21 | 9th (League One) |
| 2021/22 | 11th (League One) |
| 2022/23 | 2nd (League One) |
| 2023/24 | 2nd (Championship) |
Best Premier League finish
Fifth: 2000/01
See: More about Ipswich's history
Season aims
Ipswich are the bookies’ odds-on favourites to be relegated, hardly surprising given Kieran McKenna performed a miracle in getting them up to the Premier League.
But that doesn’t mean they are doomed.
The last club to win consecutive promotions to the top flight, Southampton in 2012, managed to stay up. It could happen.
Key transfers
There were two notable signings on Friday, with the 2023/24 Championship Golden Boot-winner Sam Szmodics arriving from Blackburn Rovers, while Kalvin Phillips has come in on loan from Manchester City.
The Tractor Boys have also recruited forward Liam Delap from Man City, taking a reported £20million gamble on a promising academy graduate who scored eight Championship goals on loan at Hull City last season.
Meanwhile, Arijanet Muric has joined from Burnley, Ben Johnson was picked up on a free transfer from West Ham United, and talented defender Jacob Greaves arrives from Hull City in a major shake-up at the back.
Ipswich's key transfers so far
| Player | Transfer Type | Club |
| Omari Hutchinson |  Transfer In |
Chelsea |
| Ben Johnson | Transfer In |
West Ham |
| Jacob Greaves | Transfer In |
Hull City |
| Liam Delap | Transfer In |
Manchester City |
| Arijanet Muric | Transfer In |
Burnley |
| Conor Townsend | Transfer In |
West Brom |
| Sam Szmodics | Transfer In |
Blackburn Rovers |
| Kalvin Phillips | Loan In |
Manchester City |
See: Clubs' summer 2024 transfers
Tactics
McKenna’s fluid 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation is direct and attack-minded, with bodies pouring forward at every opportunity.
When the ball is lost, forwards press hard from the front to win it back. It is an aggressive and ambitious system that will need to be dialled down if Ipswich are to handle the step up.
Injury report
| Player | Injury | Latest Update |
| Nathan Broadhead | Hamstring | Details |
| Harry Clarke | Achilles | Details |
| Cameron Humphreys | Thigh | Details |
| George Hirst | Knee | - |
Pre-season results and fixtures
20 July Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Ipswich Town Report
27 July Ipswich 1-2 Fortuna Dusseldorf Report
3 Aug Ipswich 1-0 Hoffenheim Report
10 Aug Ipswich 1-0 Nice Report
Best XI (4-3-3)
Arijanet Muric; Axel Tuanzebe, Jacob Greaves, Luke Woolfenden, Leif Davis; Kalvin Phillips, Sam Morsy, Omari Hutchinson; Wes Burns, Liam Delap, Sam Szmodics.
Opening PL fixtures
Kits
See: More details at Ipswich's online store
