4 senior players set to leave Ipswich Town

After finishing as runners-up to Plymouth Argyle in League One this past season, Ipswich Town will return to the Championship following a four-year exile, and they certainly look in a strong position squad-wise to make an impact in the second tier straight away.

Several millions has been spent by the club’s American ownership group to strengthen on the pitch since 2021, and that has paid dividends with their progression under Kieran McKenna.

At times though, tough decisions need to be made when you progress through the football pyramid and with the confirmation of their retained list for the 2022-23 season, Ipswich have had to let some first-team players go.

Which players have left Ipswich Town?

Four senior players have departed Portman Road this summer, including the long-serving Kane Vincent-Young.

Town snapped up wing-back Vincent-Young from Colchester United in 2019 having racked up 126 appearances for the U’s in his time there, but he has been plagued by injuries for most of his time at Ipswich.

Vincent-Young managed to play just 64 times for the club in four full seasons and McKenna has chosen to let him depart to find a new club where he may get more regular game-time.

Also leaving after two years is left-back Matt Penney, with the hierarchy not triggering his optional one-year extension.

Signed on a free transfer in 2021 from Sheffield Wednesday, Penney never really got going at Portman Road and played just 26 times, and for the 2022-23 season he was on loan at both Motherwell and Charlton Athletic.

Richard Keogh is another player who will leave after his one-year deal came to an end after 13 appearances this past season, and backup goalkeeper Joel Coleman also departs having not played a match since signing in November.

There have actually been a few offers to out of contract players though, with experienced duo Sone Aluko and Massimo Luongo given the chance to extend their stays at the club as well as young midfielder Tawanda Chirewa.

Have Ipswich Town made the right decisions?

Ipswich have only got rid of players that haven’t been featuring prominently, so you’d have to say they’ve made the right calls.

McKenna will be wanting to improve his squad this summer and with the ambition the ownership has showed in the previous two seasons, there’s no reason to believe that the Suffolk outfit won’t look stronger going into 2023-24.

That does mean hard decisions have to be made though but they are all understandable ones, including the ones involving Luongo and Aluko potentially staying at the club for longer.

All four released players though should have no issues picking up a half-decent club this summer though should they choose to, although Keogh could now potentially retire.