This season, Ipswich Town are in contention for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

The Tractor Boys spent only one year in the top tier before being promoted in 2024 under Kieran McKenna.

The Northern Irishman managed two consecutive promotions, bringing the club back into the first level after a 22-year absence.

However, a 19th-place finish ensured that the Suffolk outfit was relegated in 2025, with the club hoping to avoid another 22-year gap before returning.

However, Ipswich face heavy competition for an automatic promotion spot, with Middlesbrough and Millwall still in the running behind league leaders Coventry City.

It makes planning for the upcoming transfer window this summer difficult, but there are several movements that the recruitment department can still prepare for despite the uncertainty of their league status.

Ipswich Town is expected to lose players this summer.

When asked what players could leave Portman Road this summer, FLW’s Ipswich fan analyst Adam Wilkin speculated that it could be as few as five or as many as eleven, depending on which tier the team competes in next season.

He included Chiedozie Ogbene, Conor Chaplin, and Harry Clarke, as well as Jack Taylor and Kasey McAteer, as players who are now on loan and are expected to leave at the end of the season.

“I think it’ll depend on what division we’re in as to who will leave,” Wilkin told Football League World.

“I can’t see how the guys on loan, Ogbene, Conor Chaplin, and Harry Clarke, have a future regardless of the tier we’re in.

“I don’t think Ben Johnson will endure if we get promoted again.

“Jack Taylor, while he’s been a constant this season, is probably an area you’d seek to improve.

“Then, on the right-wing, Kasey McAteer hasn’t really set the world alight, would you be able to get money back for him?”

Wilkin mentioned the goalie position, implying that Arijanet Muric may move permanently this summer, and that an upgrade on Alex Palmer may still be required, potentially leading to other departures.

“The goalkeeping situation, we’re still technically overloaded with goalkeepers, expect Muric to move on after this season,” he said.

“But then I believe you want to enhance the goalkeeping department again; Alex Palmer did well the previous time he was in the Premier League, but you’ll most likely be looking for an upgrade there.

“The rest are relatively fresh acquisitions, but I believe there will be at least five or six guys leaving regardless of category.

“If we go up, that could be as high as 10 or 11.”

McAteer signed for Ipswich from Leicester City last summer at a reputed £14 million.

However, he has battled for form at Portman Road, and he has been in and out of the team, falling further down the pecking order than he would have liked when he joined.

Taylor, on the other hand, has been a more constant member of the club, helping it push for promotion to the Premier League.

McAteer’s contract with Ipswich runs until the summer of 2029, giving him three years left at the club, whilst Taylor’s contract expires in June 2028.

However, promotion to the Premier League might have a significant impact on McKenna’s team ambitions, potentially leading to a very busy summer when the transfer window opens.