The celebrations in Suffolk will continue for some time, but it won’t be long before the Tractor Boys start preparing for life in the Premier League. They will be hoping to give a better explanation next season for their tearful defeat last time they were part of England’s elite.
A summer of change is just around the corner at Portman Road, with many of the existing squad failing to fully prove themselves as Premier League players during the promotion campaign.
Ipswich were widely expected to dominate the league at the start of the season, but ultimately needed a result on the final day to seal their place at the top table of English football.
A new striker will be at the top of their wish list. George Hurst and Ivan Azon are flattered by their close margin of just 16 goals in the Championship.
The obvious solution for Town would be to bring back Liam Delap, who has failed to impress for Chelsea since moving to Stamford Bridge last summer.
He has scored just one goal in the Premier League and is a bit-part player for the West Londoners, with Joao Pedro clearly ahead of him in the pecking order.
Delap was a revelation for Ipswich’s struggling side last season and could benefit from being back there in the summer. He remains well-liked by the Blues fan base and any return to Suffolk will be welcomed with open arms.
Chelsea may be willing to allow him to leave for a relatively low fee to get his salary off the books, but that could be very convenient for Ipswich.
In fact, this is probably the perfect move for all parties. Ipswich will be signing a proven striker who has already proven he can score at the lower levels of the Premier League, which is exactly what they need to survive.
Delap will have the chance to return to a respected club and rediscover his shooting boots away from the Chelsea spotlight.
And for the Blues, it would mean getting rid of a failed signing who didn’t fit their style, allowing them to reinvest his salary into signing a better player.
Time will tell whether Delap ultimately returns to Ipswich in the summer, but it certainly seems like a no-brainer for everyone involved.
