After being relegated from the Premier League last season, Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town were looking for an immediate return to the top tier.

Although they have not spent as much time in the automatic promotion spots as some expected, the Tractor Boys have been in and around the promotion picture for the duration of the season.

Anis Mehmeti and Dan Neil were the only senior signings made in the January transfer window, and despite their best efforts to sign a striker before the deadline, it was not to be.

Cameron Humphreys, Harry Clarke, and Sammie Szmodics all went out on loan for the duration of the season, with Ipswich appearing well-positioned to challenge for the top two in the last stages of the season.

Seven players currently contracted to the Suffolk-based club are set to see their contracts expire at the end of the season, and with the Tractor Boys’ league still unknown, FLW has taken a look at each player who is expected to leave the club when their contracts expire, according to Transfermarkt.

Ashley Young

Ashley Young, 40, is nearing the end of his professional career.

The former Aston Villa and Manchester United winger has made the most of his playing career by keeping his fitness levels up and converting to a full-back as he ages.

Young, who has made over 750 appearances in the Premier League, Championship, Italian Serie A, and Champions League, has started only three league games this season since joining Ipswich in the summer to give backup at full-back.

His present contract is slated to expire at the end of the season, and given his age, it’s unlikely that he’ll see it extended at Portman Road, however whether he ends his playing career remains to be seen.

David Button

From one veteran to another, David Button has been Ipswich’s third-choice option this season, trailing only Alex Palmer and Christian Walton, after joining the club on a free transfer in the summer.

At the age of 36, Button joined Ipswich for the 19th time in his professional playing career, his most notable stint being with Brentford from 2013 to 2016.

It is unclear whether Button’s contract will be renewed, with the decision likely to be made based on whether Ipswich is promoted to the Premier League and whether he has assimilated well enough into the squad that McKenna values his presence around the building.

For the time being, Button is expected to exit Portman Road without making another appearance.

Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend joined Ipswich from West Brom following their promotion to the Premier League to compete with Leif Davis at left-back, but his time at Portman Road has not gone as planned.

Townsend made 213 games across all competitions for the Baggies during his six-year tenure, but has only made six league appearances for Ipswich since his move, with an ACL injury in pre-season ruling him out for much of the season.

He will be 33 when his contract expires at the end of the season, and it is unlikely that he would sign new terms with the Tractor Boys.

Wes Burns

Wes Burns, now in his fifth and potentially final season with Ipswich, has become a big fan favourite in Suffolk, playing vital parts in the club’s back-to-back progress from League One to the Premier League.

Burns, a fully-fledged Welsh international, has just recently returned from a protracted spell of injury, recovering from knee surgery, but he will be expecting to play a significant role in their promotion hopes as the season progresses.

At 31, with Anis Mehmeti, Sindre Walle Egeli, Jack Clarke, Kasey McAteer, and Jaden Philogene vying for playing time, it would be surprising if he stayed with Ipswich once his contract expired.

However, it isn’t a certain conclusion, and if he can impress McKenna between now and the end of the season, his locker room knowledge could be useful.

Conor Chaplin

Conor Chaplin, like Burns, played an important role in Ipswich’s promotion from the third tier to the top flight, but with Marcelino Nunez and Chuba Akpom entering for competition, Chaplin was permitted to go on loan this season.

He has spent the season as a regular in the Championship with Portsmouth, the club where he began his professional career, but he has failed to light up Fratton Park like he did previously.

Chaplin, who is still only 28, should be in the peak of his career, and whether he signs a contract extension with Ipswich is likely to be determined by whether or not they are promoted, as the offensive midfielder has struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

If he does leave Portman Road in the summer, the £750,000 he signed for in 2021 will remain an amazing bargain.

Cameron Humphreys

Cameron Humphreys, an Ipswich youth product, has yet to properly integrate into McKenna’s plans at Portman Road despite being 22 years old.

He would join Huddersfield Town in the League. One is on loan this month after impressing in the same league with Wycombe Wanderers the previous season.

With Jack Taylor, Jens Cajuste, Dan Neil, and Azor Matusiwa ahead of him in the pecking order, Humphreys is unlikely to break into the Ipswich fold, especially if they play Premier League football again next season, casting question on his future with the club.

Harry Clarke

Harry Clarke, a boyhood Ipswich fan, progressed through Arsenal’s academy system before going on loan to Oldham Athletic, Ross County, Hibernian, and Stoke City before returning to Suffolk.

He’d play key parts in their promotions from League One and the Championship, but since then, his game time has been severely curtailed for a variety of reasons, including competition at right-back and repeated injuries.

Clarke, 24, will now spend the rest of the 2025/26 season on loan at Nathan Jones’ Charlton Athletic, where he hopes to impress before returning to Ipswich or signing elsewhere.