Ipswich Town must plot return for unfancied Chelsea striker - It’s not Liam Delap | OneFootball

Ipswich should look to reignite their interest in Chelsea striker Marc Guiu this summer

Ipswich Town's stay in the Championship wasn't for long, with the Tractor Boys heading back to the Premier League next season at the first time of asking, as Kieran McKenna begins to prepare his squad for the next campaign.

It wasn't as convincing or emphatic as people had assumed it would be, but Ipswich have got their noses over the line and confirmed their immediate return to the top flight.

A 3-0 home victory of Queens Park Rangers on the final day was enough to secure their status in the Premier League once more, and whilst many had expected them to have wrapped up their return much sooner, supporters at Portman Road likely won't care.

The focus now shifts to the summer window, where McKenna will have the opportunity to build his squad once again in preparation for the trials and tribulations of the top flight, where he will be hoping to show a more valiant effort than last time.

Upgrades across the board will be needed, especially in the centre-forward role, with neither George Hirst nor Ivan Azon particularly lighting things up in Portman Road, as McKenna should turn his attention to Stamford Bridge for a certain Chelsea striker.

Ipswich Town should reignite interest in Chelsea's Marc Guiu this summer after confirming promotion

Liam Delap's £30 million switch to Chelsea from Ipswich in the summer has been damaging to almost all parties, with the Tractor Boys having been unable to find an adequate replacement, whilst Delap, who signed a six-year deal in West London, has failed to kick on.

However, any permanent move for Delap, at this stage, would be next to impossible given the mammoth contract he signed at Stamford Bridge, as Ipswich should instead plot to return to a move for his Chelsea teammate Marc Guiu.

Guiu has had a bizarre season, with the Spaniard spending three weeks on loan with Sunderland, having initially joined the Wearside club until the end of the campaign in the summer, but was recalled to the capital after less than a month following Nicolas Jackson's departure to Bayern Munich and injuries to Delap and Joao Pedro.

Though the former Barcelona striker has seen a year of development wasted on the bench, with just eight league appearances and less than 600 minutes in all competitions this year.

Ipswich had previously shown an interest in Guiu during the summer before he eventually joined Sunderland instead, which may have been a blessing in disguise for McKenna's side, who didn't have to worry about scrambling for a replacement.

Whilst Azon, who joined on loan from Como, didn't exactly set the world alight, he was a much more unproblematic addition in the end.

With Guiu barely featuring for Chelsea this season, his future in the English capital is up in the air, especially with the Blues looking to appoint another permanent boss after Liam Rosenior's dismissal.

Whether the new head coach will want to keep Guiu around remains to be seen, but with the 20-year-old desperate for game time to continue his development, an exit will almost certainly be on the cards this summer.

Under contract until at least 2029, with a one-year extension option, a loan move is the most likely route Ipswich should look to explore, potentially with an option-to-buy if he were to impress.

Whether McKenna would take a gamble on Guiu by signing him permanently at this stage is unclear, but still only 20, his potential is undeniable, and if the Northern Irish boss is able to get the best out of him, he could be a bargain addition and the answer to their striker woes.

Kieran McKenna should consider a switch for Marc Guiu this summer as Ipswich prepares for the Premier League

As Ipswich look to cement their status in the top flight next year, it goes without saying that the summer transfer window is huge for those prospects.

With one of the most stacked squads in the division in terms of depth of talent, some players will naturally have to be moved on to make way for other additions, as McKenna must be ruthless in his squad-building.

Azon will return to Como this summer from his loan, leaving just Hirst as the only recognised striker in the Tractor Boys' ranks, so a striker will almost certainly be high on the shopping list this summer.

Guiu, whilst he hasn't had the minutes he would've hoped for since his switch to Chelsea, is clearly highly thought of, and with Ipswich previously showing an interest, a year at Portman Road may be beneficial for both parties.