Ipswich Town won’t want to overcrowd their squad with new players in a bid to make the leap to the Premier League, knowing that it can actively work against them when tearing up what worked so well the previous season.
The group captained by Kieran McKenna has been a constant throughout the story of League One promotion and the team’s success in the Championship; small changes have added quality, but eight players who started in the second-tier final match on the second-tier final day were also involved in the third-tier final match.
Knowing that it can actively work against them when tearing up what worked so well the previous season, Ipswich Town won’t want to overcrowd their roster with new players in an attempt to make the jump to the Premier League.
The team led by Kieran McKenna has been a constant throughout the League One promotion narrative and the subsequent success in the Championship; minor adjustments have added quality, but the starting lineup on the second-tier final day included eight players who also participated in the third-tier final match.
After seeing his heroics the previous season, when Ipswich’s ascent to the Premier League began, the Tykes must have truly regretted exporting their former attacker for such a low price. He scored 26 goals and contributed five assists as the Suffolk-based team eventually emerged from their League One slump.
Chaplin, who has 13 goals and nine assists from 44 Championship appearances, has been McKenna’s team’s creative as much as their top scorer this season.
When Chaplin won League One Player of the Season, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman praised the former Barnsley player lavishly, calling his play in the third division “scintillating” and not relenting as he moved up a league. Chaplin’s ongoing performance this season has validated Goodman’s remarks.
Football Transfers reports that as a result of his continued bravery while wearing the Ipswich blue, his value has increased steadily and is currently more than twice that of Tractor Boys teammate Sam Morsy.
This is the case even though Morsy also played a significant part in Ipswich beating the odds to secure back-to-back promotions, highlighting Chaplin’s transformation from a player who gave it his all in League One and the Championship with a variety of previous employers to a Premier League star.
The value of Chaplin’s transfer in 2024
With Chaplin’s current valuation of a cool £4.1 million, Ipswich clearly found a gem when they gambled £750k on the 27-year-old.
The nimble five-foot-six forward is now the fifth most valuable asset in the Portman Road ranks, barely behind the £4.4 million-priced George Hirst, who has been as effective as Chaplin in spurts this season with 14 goal contributions up top.
Even though Morsy has only missed four league games this season, his name is now absent from the list of Suffolk’s top five assets. The Ipswich captain’s future is also somewhat uncertain because his contract expires next month.
Given that Chaplin’s valuation was £1.8 million, the Egypt international may see his exit from Ipswich on the heels of an unbelievable promotion to the Premier League as a fitting fairytale conclusion.
Given that Morsy might be moving on, Chaplin can only hope he stays put to join a new league and passes his evaluation once more to establish himself as one of the top offensive players.
