Ipswich Town face Wolves battle in race to sign 'special player' | OneFootball

Anis Mehmeti has been linked with a potential Ashton Gate departure

The Premier League's bottom club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, are currently posing a threat to Ipswich Town as they look to get a fresh Bristol City deal over the line in pursuit of instantly returning to the top-flight.

There is a distinct possibility that the West Country outfit and Wanderers could be residing in the same division for the first time in eight years next season, with Rob Edwards' side still way adrift of safety in the top flight despite a five-game unbeaten run across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Gerhard Struber is looking to guide the Reds to a second play-off finish in as many seasons, with the club having previously waited 17 long years to achieve such a feat under his predecessor, Liam Manning.

The Robins are currently in the midst of a rather indifferent run of form in the Championship, having won just one of their last five league outings, subsequently falling slightly behind a handful of divisional rivals in the race for a top six spot at the end of the season.

After playing out a goalless draw against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Struber's side were defeated 2-0 at the hands of an in-form Ipswich Town side at Portman Road on Tuesday evening, and they are currently 11th in the table ahead of the three remaining midweek fixtures across the division, having accumulated 40 points thus far.

Wolverhampton Wanderers give Ipswich Town transfer threat in Bristol City, Anis Mehmeti saga

According to Football Insider, Wolves have joined Ipswich in the race for Bristol City starlet Anis Mehmeti, with the Robins ace currently out-of-contract at Ashton Gate in just over five months' time.

Mehmeti's form at Ashton Gate has alerted Wolves into making a potential move for his services in what remains of the current window.

Football Insider's report claims that Edwards sees the 25-year-old as a player who can boost their current attack, which includes the likes of Jorgen Strand Larsen - who has been linked with a potential switch to Nottingham Forest - Tolu Arokodare and the highly-rated Mateus Mane.

Furthermore, with the Old Gold and Black braced for a first EFL return since their second tier title-winning season back in 2017/18 under current West Ham boss, Nuno Espírito Santo, it has also been stated that Mehmeti has been viewed as a potentially key player for the Molineux outfit next season, as they would look to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

The same publication had also reported Ipswich's initial interest in the attacker, who was once hailed as a 'special player' with 'massive potential' by former Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth, just hours before their clash at Portman Road on Tuesday night, in which Kieran McKenna's side continued their recent impressive run of form with yet another home success.

Such developments also come after it was revealed earlier on in the window that speculation linking the London-born man with a move to Edwards' former side, Middlesbrough, were wide of the mark, as the Robins look to tie down their prized asset to a new contract.

Mehmeti has been on City's books for three years now, initially signing under Nigel Pearson from Wycombe in League One.

He has since scored 26 times and posted a further nine assists in 136 matches for the club across all competitions, with 15 of those coming so far this season, as he has been one of the Championship's standout performers.

A move to either Portman Road or Molineux for Mehmeti would certainly cause immense frustration to City supporters, particularly during a period where he has remained a constant source of goals and assists during an injury crisis for Struber.

Whilst Ipswich may make a return to the Premier League at the end of the season, a move to Suffolk for the forward would only bolster the attacking options of a potential promotion rival, whilst the same could also be said for Wolves, who would have to embark on the greatest of relegation escapes in their final 16 games to ensure that Mehmeti could be a top flight player in the long run in the Midlands.

However, City have certainly been left with a dilemma, largely due to his contract situation.