Ipswich Town transfer news: Tractor Boys attacker 'set to join' Championship side

Ipswich Town have reportedly agreed a deal to loan Sammie Szmodics to Derby County for the 2026-27 season.

The 30-year-old is not the only potential departure from the club at which Gary O'Neil replaced Kieran McKenna in the dugout this summer, with Ipswich winger Jaden Philogene supposedly wanting a move.

The East Anglian side are also focusing on incomings as they prepare for a campaign of top-flight football, with Ipswich said to be keen on signing midfielder Florentino Luis following Burnley's relegation.

After a relatively slow start to last season, McKenna's side moved up the gears and the Championship standings to eventually secure a second-placed finish behind champions Coventry City.

However, McKenna has since left his role for personal reasons, allowing O'Neil to take charge as the club look to avoid their fate of 2024-25, when Ipswich suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Ipswich's Szmodics set for Derby loan return

According to Ipswich Town site TWTD, out-of-favour striker Szmodics is fast approaching a temporary exit from Portman Road this summer, with a familiar face leading the race for his talents.

The report claims that Derby are on the verge of bringing the 30-year-old back to Pride Park, where he spent the second half of last season as John Eustace's side failed to reach the playoffs.

Whilst Ipswich would supposedly prefer a permanent sale to offload Szmodics's wages, it is understood the arrangement will be a temporary one for now before the Rams are obliged to buy the attacker next summer.

Tractor Boys' boss O'Neil recently praised the attitude of the Irishman but stated that he is preparing to leave the club in the coming days, with Derby desperate to get the forward back in the East Midlands.

Derby's playoff chances

During the second half of last season, Derby assembled a team that was capable of mounting a serious playoff push, however, Eustace's side fell short of a top-six spot by four points in the end.

Winning the Championship's Golden Boot award with Blackburn Rovers in the 2023-24 season, Szmodics has the quality and experience to be a major threat for the Rams in the second tier.

Derby commence their competitive schedule with the hosting of Lincoln City in the EFL Cup on August 8, before travelling to Charlton Athletic on the opening weekend of the Championship season.