Ipswich Town transfer news: Tractor Boys 'lining up' move to sign former Chelsea centre-back this summer

Ipswich Town are reportedly interested in signing Standard Liege defender Henry Lawrence this summer.

Gary O'Neil's side could be set to lose one of their star attackers in the coming weeks, with Ipswich winger Jaden Philogene supposedly wanting to leave the club amid interest from teams across Europe.

After the departure of former head coach Kieran McKenna, the Tractor Boys are backing the current boss in the transfer market, signing Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen permanently from Union SG.

The East Anglian side will desperately attempt to avoid an immediate return to the Championship after promotion last season, only finishing behind champions Coventry City in the second-tier standings.

Ipswich are hopeful of turning Portman Road into a fortress during the 2026-27 season - a campaign in which they will likely fight for survival at the bottom end of the table, potentially against the likes of Hull City and Coventry.

Ipswich keen on ex-Chelsea defender?

According to Football Insider, Ipswich are lining up a move for a former Chelsea academy player, who left the West Londoners on a permanent deal to the Belgian Pro League three years ago.

The report claims that the Tractor Boys are keen on securing the services of centre-back Lawrence, who has never played Premier League football despite previously being on the books of the Blues.

It is understood that head coach O'Neil is hoping to bolster his defensive options this summer, potentially finding a central-defensive partner for Republic of Ireland international Dara O'Shea.

Ipswich are not the only club fond of Standard Liege's Lawrence, who has already been the subject of a failed bid from Ukrainian powerhouses Dynamo Kiev during the early part of the summer window.

It remains to be seen whether Dynamo submit a secondary offer for Lawrence, or whether the East Anglians will be handed a relatively clear run at securing the talents of their centre-back target.

Lawrence's career to date

As alluded to earlier, Lawrence was never given the chance to impress in the first team at Chelsea - understandable given that the senior squad were lifting a Champions League title at the time.

Instead, the youngster experienced a pair of loan spells in the EFL at AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons, playing a total of 50 games in the third tier of English football over two seasons on temporary deals.

Lawrence's career has gone up a level since a permanent switch to Standard Liege in 2023, however, the centre-back is yet to appear in European competition for the 10-time Belgian champions.