Ipswich Town 2026/27 Season Preview: The Redemption of the Tractor Boys
Photo by NurPhoto/Getty Images.
The 2026/27 season is about to kick off and Ipswich Town are back in the Premier League.
After earning promotion once again from the Championship last season, there has been some major changes behind the scenes at the club, as Gary O’Neil replaces the departing Kieran McKenna as head coach of Ipswich.
O’Neil brings valuable assets to the table such as Premier League experience, so it will be interesting to see if he can guide his side to survival in the toughest test of them all.
New signings, expectations and more will be discussed as we predict whether Ipswich can stay up in the Premier League.
IPSWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Dara O'Shea of Ipswich Town lifts the Sky Bet Championship runners up trophy following the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road on May 02, 2026 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)
IPSWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Dara O'Shea of Ipswich Town lifts the Sky Bet Championship runners up trophy following the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road on May 02, 2026 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)
2025/26 Season Recap
Words by Levi Bass
The Blues started last campaign with one clear goal, which was to gain automatic promotion back to the Premier League. This was absolutely essential after being relegated the season prior.
The season started shakily, with the first four league games ending in three draws and a loss, which sparked some nerves among the fan base.
However, form picked up after a 5-0 win at home over Sheffield United, and McKenna’s side started getting consistent results.
Throughout the season, Ipswich maintained a solid record, which led them to finish second in the league on 84 points, just one point ahead of Millwall, who finished on 83 points.
Transfer Activity
Words by Brandon Williams
There is a noticeable difference in ambition and profile in the signings Ipswich have made so far when compared to 2024/25, their last post-promotion window.
Not only breaking their record transfer fee, but they are climbing the table of most spent by newly promoted clubs with every recruitment.
The majority of the incomings have been regarding firepower.
Chuba Akpom made the permanent switch, Abdul Fatawu stepped up from Leicester City, Daizen Maeda trekked down from Celtic, and Brazilian Emersonn, the record signing for £24 million. Paraguay’s World Cup star Julio Enciso has now broken that record in the same window.
Elsewhere, in midfield come Florentino Luis and Sasa Lukic and, at the back, Cedric Kipre and Issa Diop. Double Dutch goalkeepers Kjell Scherpen and Kayne van Oevelen have also joined.
In terms of outgoings, Wes Burns ended his five year spell at the club with his move to Leicester and veteran Ashley Young retired from football.
Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric headed off to Italy, while Elkan Baggot, Conor Townsend, Conor Chaplin and Sammie Szmodics all made moves down the English league pyramid.
One To Watch: Emersonn
Words by Matthew Shotter
Cachoeiro de Itapemirim is a southern town in Brazil; it is famed for its mass production of marble and granite. It is also the birthplace of new Ipswich Town signing Emersonn, who plays the game in a manner befitting his hometown. He is strong and physical, with a dash of flair and style.
Ipswich Town's Emersonn during the pre-season friendly match at the JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester. Picture date: Wednesday July 29, 2026. (Photo by Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images)
Ipswich Town's Emersonn during the pre-season friendly match at the JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester. Picture date: Wednesday July 29, 2026. (Photo by Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images)
The towering striker seems to be a player ready-made for the Premier League, and will be a welcome addition to a side who were in desperate need of an out and out forward. Despite scoring 80 goals last season in the Championship, very few of those, 16 to be exact, were scored by strikers.
It’s not just goals the Brazilian brings, his hold up play and ability to bring the wide players into the game is of an incredibly high level, and are comparable to Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood, and given that Gary O'Neil’s men will likely be looking to play on the counter in many of their games this season, Emersonn’s ability to do this will be vital.
The 22-year-old is, of course, untested at this level, and with just a single season in Ligue 1 under his belt, there is an element of risk to the signing, but should he settle into the league, he may well take it by storm.
Strongest XI
Words by Levi Bass
Scherpen; Davis, Greaves, Diop, O’Shea; Florentino, Lukic; Maeda, Enciso, Fatawu; Emersonn
New arrival Scherpen should be nailed in net to start the season, as he had a very impressive record in the Belgian top flight.
Leif Davis has truly become a mainstay in Ipswich Town’s side, as his creativity from left back often poses a major threat to opposition defences.
The preferred partnership at the heart of defence is Jacob Greaves and Issa Diop, who both have elite physicality, solid aerial threat and Premier League experience.
Dara O’Shea may not be at his preferred centre-half spot, but he has been a standout performer in pre-season and brings balance at right-back.
The double-pivot consists of Florentino and Sasa Lukic. The former brings elite ball-winning and physical presence whilst the latter is your typical all-round box-to-box midfielder.
Daizen Maeda will occupy the left winger spot whilst he has Abdul Fatawu on the opposite flank. Both have very different profiles but suit the team's chemistry.
Julio Enciso is your number 10 who will bring his creative spark back to the Premier League whilst he plays behind Emersonn, who leads the line.
Tactics
Words by Olufunmilayo Olusanya
In the 2025/26 Championship season, Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town played with clarity and intensity, securing automatic promotion as runners-up. The side operated almost exclusively in a flexible 4-2-3-1 that prioritised possession, territorial dominance and aggressive pressing.
Ipswich controlled games better than almost any other team, recording one of the highest field tilts in the division and allowing opponents the least average time on the ball.
Out of possession, they pressed as a coordinated unit, triggering on specific cues.
In possession, the centre-backs split, a double pivot provided security, and left-back Leif Davis pushed high while the right-back stayed more reserved. The left winger inverted, the right winger stayed wide as an outlet, and the No.10 created overloads.
The result was fast, front-foot football that combined structured build-up through the thirds with explosive transitions.
McKenna’s side defended and attacked with the same collective aggression, producing a promotion-winning campaign defined by organisation, intensity and clear positional roles.
Following the season, Gary O’Neil was appointed as his successor for the 2026/27 Premier League return, bringing a more pragmatic and flexible approach expected to blend mid-blocks, quick counters and adaptable shapes while building on the foundations McKenna left behind.
Season Expectations
Words by Brandon Williams
Despite the spending power, the Tractor Boys are still up against it. Such is the stature of the established Premier League sides; newly promoted teams have found it difficult to break through, including when Kieran McKenna last led them to the top flight.
However, last year’s success stories in Leeds United and Sunderland do at least provide a blueprint in gaining a foothold in the league.
New boss O’Neil, whose last Premier League game as a manager came in a loss to Ipswich, also has experience to help boost a side with plenty now in their legs.
Ultimately, Leeds and Sunderland swam against the tide with stern defences mixed with opportunistic forward play. If Ipswich want to stand any chance of replicating them and avoiding relegation, then they will need to make a bold start to the season and make the money count.