£10m Ipswich Town star facing permanent Portman Road exit - club plot low-ball offer | OneFootball

Arijanet Muric is currently on loan at Sassuolo from the Tractor Boys

Serie A outfit Sassuolo are confident of striking an agreement that could see Arijanet Muric make a permanent switch to the club for less than what was initially proposed between themselves and Ipswich Town.

The Kosovan goalkeeper was one of a handful of high-profile names who exited Portman Road on either a permanent or temporary basis following the Tractor Boys' relegation from the Premier League last term.

Muric had only spent one year on the Blues' books beforehand, initially linking up with Kieran McKenna following an initial relegation under Vincent Kompany at Burnley in 2023/24, where he struggled to replicate the form he had showcased in the Championship as the Clarets romped to the second tier title with 101 points in 2022/23.

After falling down the pecking order post-January, an exit in some way, shape or form seemed inevitable for the former Manchester City man, and he is now plying his trade at the Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore as Sassuolo's first-choice goalkeeper, already leading to reports that his stay in Italy is set to last beyond the conclusion of the current campaign.

As the October international break comes to a close, Sassuolo currently reside in ninth in the Serie A standings, having accumulated a total of nine points from their opening six games, with Muric featuring in all but one of those encounters.

Meanwhile, Ipswich are currently one of the Championship's form sides, having clicked into gear following the conclusion of a hectic summer transfer window, with a recent run of three wins and two draws propelling the Blues up to ninth.

Promotion is still very much the expectation placed on the club. However, it looks unlikely that Muric will feature for Town again based on fresh reports.

Muric moved to Suffolk for an initial £10m from Turf Moor, with the deal having the potential to rise up to £15m over time.

However, the 26-year-old kept just one clean sheet in 18 league appearances, subsequently being reduced to the substitutes' bench after Alex Palmer's switch from West Bromwich Albion and prior to a shoulder injury which kept him sidelined towards the back end of the season.

It was initially reported that Sassuolo were keen on striking an agreement for the 47-time international following their promotion from Serie B last season, as well as rival interest from AS Monaco.

A loan switch to Turkish Süper Lig side, Caykur Rizespor, was then expected, before Muric completed an eventual temporary switch to the Italian side, which included an option-to-buy at the conclusion of the campaign.

As such, it has been claimed by Italian outlet, Sportmediaset, that a tally of two clean sheets in his first five appearances has been enough to convince the Sassuolo hierarchy into a potential permanent move, which would currently cost the club €10m after an initial agreement that was put in place with Ipswich.

However, it has been claimed that 'I Neroverdi' are looking to reduce the aforementioned figure before confirming a permanent transfer.

TuttoMercato have also relayed such claims, whilst also stating that Muric's representatives are aware of Sassuolo's future plans, which would see him depart Ipswich with an overall record of 33 goals shipped in just 19 appearances.

Ipswich Town support would be satisfied with permanent Sassuolo, Arijanet Muric deal

There have been several cases where players are clearly better suited to styles of play on the continent than the Premier League, and that has evidently been the case with Muric, having rekindled his personal form in recent weeks.

After being replaced by Palmer, the ex-West Brom keeper was the subject of strong praise for his own performances despite the season ending in relegation for Ipswich, whilst the 29-year-old continues to be a reliable option at Championship level for McKenna at present.

It remains to be seen if Town are prepared to accept a lower figure that would permanently shift Muric off of Mark Ashton's weekly and annual wage bills. However, it wouldn't be the most major of losses in comparison to the initial fee paid, making it a rather satisfactory deal for all involved.