Ipswich Town should consider Leeds United transfer to solve squad issue - it could be Leif Davis 2.0 | OneFootball

Darko Gyabi could be an interesting signing for Kieran McKenna's side

Ipswich Town have settled relatively decently to life back in the second tier of English football.

After relegation from the Premier League last season, the Tractor Boys were greeted with a really tough fixture list to begin their season back in the Championship, travelling to Birmingham City on the opening night.

Kieran McKenna's side were largely second best in that clash, but were able to come away with a 1-1 draw thanks to a late penalty goal by George Hirst.

They then hosted fellow relegated side Southampton last weekend and, despite taking the lead in comical fashion via a Taylor Harwood-Bellis own goal, Jay Robinson scored his first senior goal as the Saints came back to leave Portman Road with a point.

Whilst their transfer business this summer has been decent, McKenna will definitely be looking at getting some more bodies through the door - and defensive midfield could well be an area that they will look to strengthen.

Leeds United's Darko Gyabi would be an interesting option for Ipswich Town

Despite having signed Jens Cajuste and Azor Matusiwa, the general consensus of Town fans is that more heads are still needed in those central midfield berths following the departures of all of Massimo Luongo, Sam Morsy and Kalvin Phillips from their squad.

And Darko Gyabi, who was actually brought to Leeds United from Manchester City as part of the Phillips swap deal, could actually be an excellent option that Town may well look to consider.

The 21-year-old perhaps hasn't hit the heights that many would've expected when he was brought to Elland Road though, as he spent two separate spells on loan at Plymouth Argyle.

The first one, in the 2023/24 season, was cut short after only 10 games due to a groin injury, whilst last season - despite featuring in 43 Championship games - was disappointing from a team's perspective as well, due to Argyle's relegation from the Championship.

Darko Gyabi and Kieran McKenna could be a match made in heaven at Ipswich Town

Further worries about the availabilities of Town's midfield duo still linger, as question marks over Cajuste's fitness still arise - and that would then leave Matusiwa, Jack Taylor and Cameron Humphreys as the only natural central midfielders at the club, which is far from ideal for a side challenging for promotion at the top end of the Championship.

Furthermore, McKenna has a history of taking underperforming players out of West Yorkshire and developing them at Portman Road. Leif Davis was struggling to get a look in under Marcelo Bielsa and then Jesse Marsch at Leeds United - but McKenna decided to take a chance on him with a deal when they were in League One.

The Northern Irish manager has then since turned the 25-year-old into arguably the Championship's best left-back, with there being notable interest from Premier League clubs, including Nottingham Forest, that the Tractor Boys have had to turn down this summer.

Davis was instrumental in Ipswich's promotion to the Premier League in the 2023/24 season and will be looking to exert a similar influence this time around, while you get the impression that Gyabi - if Town were to express an interest and complete a deal, of course - could also have a defining impact.

Whilst there are, of course, no guarantees that Gyabi will deliver in that manner, eternally optimistic Town supporters have every reason to believe that a deal will get done - with Leeds clearly not looking to utilise him in the Premier League and Town desperate for another talented midfielder to come to Suffolk.