As much as many Ipswich Town fans will be content with cheering on England at this Euros, a welcome summertime distraction before the nerves of a Premier League campaign kick in, there will no doubt be a sense of excitement in the air too for the top-flight.
The Tractor Boys will aim to take the top flight by storm and catch teams off-guard in the process, with this mentality sending shockwaves through the Championship on the way to promotion being sealed, but they will be abundantly aware that it will is a different kettle of fish altogether compared to the second-tier.
In order to traverse another leap up in quality, without letting the immense pressure get the better of them, Kieran McKenna and Co will try to litter the Ipswich squad with some more top talents, one of which is currently out in Germany at the Euros.
Ipswich face competition for ambitious signing
Credited with having a previous interest in current Chelsea man Armando Broja, Ipswich will know that they face extremely stiff competition to land the Albanian attacker's services, with a new development from Italian outlet CalcioMercato – via Sky Italia – stating that scouts from AC Milan are watching his progress in Germany with his national side.
With Everton and Southampton also keen back in England, alongside McKenna's men, it could be a tall order for the Tractor Boys to land the 6 foot 3 forward, ahead of other interested parties.
Broja could be Hirst 2.0
After an uneventful showing against Italy in his country's opening game of the Euros – with just 22 touches mustered up against Italy – suitors from the likes of the San Siro and Goodison Park could now be put off going after him, especially with a dire loan spell at Fulham from last campaign also still fresh.
This could be where Ipswich swoop in, with Broja also teammates with former Tractor Boys loanee Omari Hutchinson at Stamford Bridge.
McKenna could well be the manager to get the best out of Broja again, after the 22-year-old managed just eight appearances at Craven Cottage last season out loan, with only a solitary assist to show for his troubles.
The much-loved Tractor Boys boss managed to get a tune out of a once misfiring George Hirst last campaign, who routinely fired blanks for previous employers such as Rotherham United, enduring a horrendous barren 2020/21 season with the Millers.
However, at Ipswich, he has been turned into a consistent figure under his new manager's guidance.
Since McKenna's arrival into the building, Hirst has managed to net 14 goals across two campaigns – with seven of those aiding Ipswich's promotion bid last season – which is a fair chunk of the 47 goals he's managed across his full up-and-down career.
Hirst
29
7
7
Jackson
33
3
5
Al-Hamadi
14
4
1
Chaplin
47
13
9
Broja
32
9
0
Therefore, the stuttering Broja will aim to be revived himself by McKenna in a bid to become the confident attacker he once was when he was donning a Southampton strip.
Indeed, his nine-goal haul during the 2021-22 season saw him rival a number of Ipswich attackers from their promotion campaign, with Hirst falling just short with his goalscoring numbers when comparing the two.
Once described as being a "strong" attacker by one of his former Chelsea managers in Frank Lampard, Broja would also be able to plug a gap in the squad with Kayden Jackson no longer on the books, offering Ipswich an imposing forward option away from more intricate attackers such as Conor Chaplin.
Ipswich will know they need to press on with new signings soon, as the date for the Premier League fixtures getting announced grows closer, with Broja a statement purchase if it happens.
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