They might still be in the relegation zone, but there is a lot to be optimistic about for Ipswich Town at the moment.
Kieran McKenna’s side have won two and drawn one of their last five Premier League games and look like a side ready to climb the table over the coming weeks and months.
There have been brilliant performances across the pitch in recent games, but there can be no doubt about whom the Tractor Boys’ most important player is this season: Liam Delap.
The former Manchester City prospect has been sublime for the Suffolk side and already has eight league goals to his name this year, so recent reports linking the club to someone who could be his ideal rival this month should excite the fans.
Ipswich chase free-scoring forward
According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Ipswich are one of several teams interested in Botafogo star Igor Jesus.
Alongside the Tractor Boys, the report claims that fellow Premier League sides Fulham, Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham United are all keen on the Brazilian striker.
On top of dealing with the competition, the Suffolk side will also have to make a significant investment if they want the talented forward, as according to the story, he is valued at around £30m.
It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Jesus’ incredible form, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he’d be ideal competition for Delap.
Why Jesus would be a great Delap rival
So, when it comes to adding extra competition for your starting striker to the squad, only one metric truly matters: output.
In this regard, Jesus looks to be an excellent option for Ipswich, as he has been in utterly sensational goalscoring form over the last year or so.
For example, in his most recent campaign, the 23-year-old machine scored a whopping 25 goals and provided nine assists in 56 appearances, meaning he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games – talk about dangerous.
Appearances
56
Goals
25
Assists
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.60
However, what makes that even more impressive is that he played for two sides, spending the first half of the campaign with Shabab Al-Ahli in the UAE and then moving to Botafogo in July.
On top of “blowing teams away” in two leagues across one season, as one Brazilian football expert put it, the Cuiabá-born star also played a pivotal role in securing Botafogo’s first-ever Copa Libertadores and their third domestic title in a brilliant double this year.
Now, with all of that said, if the Tractor Boys do end up signing the “great” number nine, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, he’d still likely play second fiddle to Delap, and given the Englishman’s own impressive haul of ten goal involvements in 19 Premier League games, that would be entirely expected.
However, with the intensity of the league and the chance of progressing in the FA Cup, there should be plenty of opportunities for the Brazilian to play and, in turn, allow the Winchester-born prospect to rest.
Ultimately, Jesus may not be a household name in English football, but if his form over the last year or so is anything to go by, he’s more than good enough to become one.
Therefore, Ipswich should do what they can to secure his services this month before one of their rivals beats them to him.
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